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THE 

PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

BY 

CHRISTIAN  D.  LARSON 

Author  of 

"The  Ideal  Made  Real,"  "On  The  Heights,"  "The  Hidden 

Secret,"  "The  Great  Within,"  "Mastery  of  Fate," 

"How  To  Stay  Young,"  "Perfect  Health," 

"Poise  and  Power,"  "Your  Forces 

and  How  to  Use  Them," 

etc.,  etc.,  etc. 


NEW  YORK 
THOMAS  Y.   CROWELL  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT  1913 

By 
CHRISTIAN  D.  LARSON 


CONTENTS 


dHAPTER 


PACK 


I.  Paths  to  the  Life  Beautiful 7 

II.  The  Way  to  Freedom 17 

III.  The  Supreme  Point  of  View 31 

IV.  The  True  Order  of  Things 37 

V.  The  Good  That  is  in  You 45 

VI.  Give  Your  Best  to  the  World 53 

VII.  Giving  Much  and  Receiving  Much. .  63 

VIII.  And  All  Things  Shall  Be  Added. ...  77 

IX.  When  Life  is  Worth  Living 87 

X.  The  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life ....  105 

XI.  To  Know  and  Think  the  Truth 113 

XH.  Finding  the  Lost  Word 131 

XHI.  The  Eoyal  Path  to  Wisdom 145 

XIV.  The  Golden  Path  to  Increase 153 

XV.  The  Life  More  Abundant 165 

XVI.  Human  Nature  Becoming  Divine  Na- 
ture     175 

XVII.  A  Sublime  State  of  Existence 183 

XVm.  A  Foretaste  of  Heaven 193 

XIX.  The  Vision  of  the  Soul 203 

XX.  The  Infinite  Revealed 213 

XXI.  Return  Ye  Unto  God 223 

XXII.  Prayers  That  are  Answered 233 

XXHI.  The  Faith  That  Moves  Mountains.  .253 

XXIV.  The   Winds   and   the   Waves    Shall 

Obey  My  Will 279 

XXV.  For  I  Have  Overcome  the  World. . .  .295 

XXVI.  The  Supreme  Purpose  of  Life 309 

XXVn.  The  Psalm  of  Rejoicing 319 

XXVHL  God's  Beautiful  Gift  to  Me. .  .  .349 


2131152 


To  live  always  in  the  Secret  Places  of  the  Most 

High,  ' 
To  think  only  those  thoughts  that  are  inspired 

from  above. 
To  do  all  things  in  the  conviction  that  Cod  is 

with  us, 
To  give  the  best  to  all  the  world  with  no  thought 

of  reward, 
To  leave  all  recompense  to  Him  who  doeth  all 

things  well, 
To  love  everybody  as   Cod  loves  us,  and  be 

Kind  as  He  is  Kind, 
To  as}(  Cod  for  everything  and  in  faith  expect 

everything, 
To  live  in  perpetual  gratitude  to  Him  who  gives 

everything, 
To  love  God  so  much  that  we  can  inwardly  feel 

that  My  Father  and  I  are  one, 
This  is   the  prayer   without  ceasing,    the   true 

worship  of  the  sou/. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

CHAPTER  I 

PATHS   TO   THE   LIFE   BEAUTIFUL 

The  thinking  world  of  today  is  being  filled  with  a 
phase  of  thought  that  has  exceptional  value.  True, 
some  of  it  is  in  a  somewhat  chaotic  condition,  but 
most  of  it  is  rich,  containing  within  itself  the  very  life 
of  that  truth  that  is  making  the  world  free.  But  in 
the  finding  of  this  truth,  and  in  the  application  of  its 
principles,  where  are  we  to  begin?  What  are  we  to 
do  first?  And  after  we  have  begun,  and  find  our- 
selves in  the  midst  of  a  life  so  large,  so  immense  and 
so  marvelous  that  it  will  require  eternity  to  live  it  all, 
what  are  the  great  essentials  that  we  should  ever 
remember  and  apply!  What  are  the  great  centers  of 
life  about  which  we  may  build  a  greater  and  a  greater 
life?  These  are  questions  that  thousands  are  asking 
today,  and  the  answer  is  simple. 

First,  recognize  the  great  truth  that  every  indi- 
vidual can  live  his  own  life  exactly  as  he  may  desire 
to  live.  Man,  himself,  is  the  real  master  of  his  own 
existence,  and  he,  himself,  may  determine  how  per- 
fect and  how  beautiful  that  existence  is  to  be. 

7 


8  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

Your  life  is  in  your  own  hands.  You  may  live  us 
you  wish.  You  may  secure  from  life  whatever  you 
desire,  because  there  is  no  limit  to  life,  and  no  limit 
to  your  capacity  to  live.  The  elements  of  life  can  be 
modified,  changed,  developed  and  perfected  to  com- 
ply with  your  own  supreme  demand;  the  increase  of 
life  can  be  realized  in  the  exact  measure  of  your 
largest  need ;  you  are  in  living  touch  with  Infinite  life, 
and  there  is  neither  limit  nor  end  to  the  source  of 
your  supply. 

To  live  in  the  constant  recognition  of  this  great 
truth,  is  to  rise  continually  into  higher  and  higher 
degrees  of  that  mastery  of  life  that  gives  man  the 
power  to  live  his  life  according  to  his  most  perfect 
ideals.  To  reach  the  goal  that  every  ascending  mind 
has  in  view,  this  truth,  therefore,  must  ever  be  recog- 
nized and  applied.  It  is  one  of  those  principles  that 
we  shall  always  require,  no  matter  how  high  we  may 
rise  in  the  scale  of  divine  being. 

Second,  desire  that  which  you  desire,  and  desire 
with  all  the  power  of  mind  and  soul.  We  invariably 
receive  what  we  desire,  no  more,  no  less.  We  get 
what  we  wish  for  if  the  power  within  that  wish  is  as 
strong  as  we  can  make  it. 

The  fact  that  we  can  have  an  ideal,  proves  that  we 
have  the  power  to  secure  it.  The  fact  that  we  can 
formulate  and  appreciate  a  desire  for  something 
larger  and  better,  proves  that  we  can  fulfill  that 
desire.  The  great  essential  is  to  desire  with  the  whole 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  9 

heart;  that  is,  to  give  our  desires  all  the  life  and 
power  that  we  can  possibly  arouse  from  the  depths  of 
invincible  being. 

The  true  desire  and  the  true  prayer  are  synony- 
mous. The  true  prayer  is  invariably  some  immensely 
strong  desire  expressed  when  the  human  mind  feels 
the  sublime  touch  of  the  Infinite  mind;  and  the  true 
desire  must  be  in  perfect  touch  with  Infinite  life  in 
order  to  be  filled  with  the  invincible  power  of  that 
life. 

To  cause  every  wish  to  come  true,  we  must  express 
all  the  power  of  mind  and  soul  through  every  wish; 
but  we  cannot  give  expression  to  all  the  power  within 
us  until  we  awaken  our  spiritual  natures,  and  we 
cannot  awaken  our  spiritual  natures  until  we  begin  to 
live  with  the  Infinite.  The  largeness  and  immensity 
of  the  supreme  spiritual  life  within  us  comes  forth 
only  as  consciousness  is  spiritualized,  and  we  gain 
spiritual  consciousness  by  living  and  thinking  con- 
stantly in  the  lofty  state  where  we  actually  feel  that 
God  is  closer  than  breathing,  nearer  than  hands  and 
feet. 

We  cannot  desire  too  much,  and  when  we  desire 
with  all  the  life  and  power  that  is  within  us,  our 
desires  shall  positively  be  fulfilled.  The  wish  must 
be  whole-hearted,  not  half-hearted;  it  must  contain 
all  the  power  we  have,  not  simply  the  limited  actions 
of  shallow  thinking;  and  it  must  contain  soul,  not 


10  .THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

P 

simply  emotion,  but  that  deep,  spiritual  feeling  that 
touches  the  very  spirit  of  limitless  life  and  power. 

Third,  have  faith  in  God,  have  faith  in  man,  have 
faith  in  yourself,  have  faith  in  everything;  and  have 
faith  in  faith.  When  you  have  confidence  in  yourself 
you  arouse  everything  that  is  stronger,  greater  and 
superior  in  yourself.  In  consequence,  the  more  con- 
fidence you  have  in  yourself,  the  more  you  will  attain 
and  accomplish.  But  the  power  of  self-confidence  is 
but  an  atom  in  comparison  with  the  marvelous  power 
of  faith. 

Faith  takes  mind  and  soul  into  the  greater  realms 
of  life.  It  goes  out  upon  the  boundless,  and  awakens 
those  interior  spiritual  forces  that  have  the  power  to 
do  anything.  This  is  why  all  things  become  possible 
when  we  have  faith. 

It  is  the  nature  of  faith  to  break  bounds;  to  trans- 
cend limitations,  and  take  life,  thought  and  action 
into  the  universal.  It  is  the  nature  of  faith  to  unite 
the  lesser  with  the  greater,  to  unite  the  mind  of  man 
with  the  mind  of  God.  Therefore,  we  shall  always 
require  faith;  however  far  we  may  go  into  the 
greater,  the  superior  and  the  boundless  today,  faith 
will  take  us  farther  still  to-morrow.  And  that  is  our 
purpose ;  to  realize  our  largest  and  dearest  desires  in 
the  present,  and  then  press  on  to  the  realization  of 
other  and  far  greater  desires  in  the  future. 

Fourth,  depend  upon  the  superior  man  within  for 
results,  and  give  this  greater  man  the  credit  for 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  11 

everything  you  accomplish.  When  you  depend  upon 
the  personal  self,  you  place  yourself  in  touch  only 
with  the  lesser  forces  on  the  surface;  you  therefore 
will  accomplish  but  little ;  but  when  you  depend  upon 
the  supreme  spiritual  self,  you  place  yourself  in  touch 
with  the  greater  powers  within,  and  results  will  be 
greater  in  proportion. 

When  you  give  credit  to  the  personal  self,  you 
ignore  the  interior  spiritual  man;  you  thereby  fail  to 
secure  that  greater  wisdom  and  power  that  the  spirit- 
ual man  alone  can  supply.  Instead  of  being  led  by 
that  inner  light  that  knows,  you  are  led  by  the  con- 
fusion of  outer  thought;  you  are  turned  away  from 
the  path  that  leads  to  truth,  freedom  and  the  perfect 
life,  and  your  mistakes  are  many.  Instead  of  being 
taken  into  the  current  of  that  invincible  life  that  can 
carry  you  through  to  your  very  highest  goal,  you 
remain  in  the  hands  of  mere  physical  energy,  that 
energy  that  can  do  nothing  more  than  simply  keep 
your  body  alive. 

Whenever  you  accomplish  something  worth  while, 
and  give  the  praise  to  your  own  outer  personal  self, 
you  immediately  lose  your  hold  on  those  powers 
through  which  those  results  were  gained;  in  conse- 
quence, failure  will  begin,  and  you  will  have  to  re- 
trace all  your  former  steps  to  again  gain  possession 
of  that  power  that  can  do  whatever  you  may  wish  to 
have  done. 

To  constantly  depend  upon  the  greater  self,  to  con- 


12  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

stantly  expect  the  desired  results  from  the  greater 
self,  and  to  always  give  credit  to  the  greater  self,  is 
to  constantly  draw  upon  the  limitless  wisdom  and 
power  of  the  greater  self— the  supreme  spiritual  man 
within  you.  You  thereby  become  larger  and  stronger 
in  all  the  elements  of  your  being,  rising  ever  in  the 
scale,  gaining  ground  perpetually,  and  passing  from 
victory  to  victory.  What  you  desire  you  will  receive 
because  higher  power  is  working  through  you,  and  as 
you  ascend  in  the  scale,  there  is  nothing  that  you  will 
not  attain  and  accomplish. 

The  principal  cause  of  failure  among  those  who  are 
trying  to  live  in  harmony  with  real  truth,  may  be 
found  in  the  general  tendency  to  think  of  the  outer 
person  as  the  power  that  does  things  on  the  visible 
plane.  But  it  is  the  interior  man  that  gives  the 
power,  though  the  outer  person  is  required  to  apply 
it.  And  the  more  thought  we  give  to  the  interior 
man,  the  more  life  and  power  we  bring  forth  from 
within. 

The  interior  man  is  the  man,  created  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God;  it  is  therefore  evident  that  when 
you  begin  to  live  with  the  life  and  the  power  of  the 
interior  man,  the  expression  of  real  greatness  and 
real  spirituality  will  begin.  And  from  that  moment 
you  will  not  be  limited  to  the  power  of  the  personal 
self;  instead  you  will  fill  the  personal  self  with  that 
divine  power  from  on  high  that  is  limitless,  inex- 
haustible and  invincible. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  13 

Fifth,  live  for  a  great  purpose,  and  hold  the  central 
idea  of  that  purpose  constantly  before  mind.  Do  not 
live  for  the  mere  sake  of  prolonging  existence;  live 
for  something  that  magnifies,  on  the  largest  possible 
scale,  all  the  elements  of  existence.  To  live  for  a 
great  purpose  is  to  live  a  great  life,  and  the  greater 
your  life,  the  greater  the  good  that  you  will  receive 
from  life.  The  ruling  desire  of  every  living  soul  is 
to  have  life,  and  have  it  more  abundantly ;  therefore, 
to  fulfill  that  desire  we  must  continue  perpetually  to 
live  for  that  which  produces  more  life.  No  matter 
how  rich  we  may  become  in  the  real,  spiritual  life, 
here  is  a  principle  that  we  must  ever  remember  and 
apply. 

Do  not  work  for  yourself;  work  for  the  great  idea 
that  stands  at  the  apex  of  your  greatest  purpose. 
The  greater  the  idea  for  which  you  work,  the  greater 
will  be  your  work ;  and  it  is  he  who  does  the  greatest 
work  that  does  the  most  for  everybody,  himself  in- 
cluded. "When  your  work  is  great  you  become  a  great 
power  for  good  among  thousands,  and  at  the  same 
time  you  do  more  for  yourself  than  you  could  pos- 
sibly do  in  any  other  manner. 

When  you  begin  to  live  and  work  for  a  great  pur- 
pose, you  get  into  the  current  of  great  forces,  great 
minds  and  great  souls.  You  gain  from  every  source; 
all  the  powerful  lives  in  the  world  will  work  with 
you;  you  become  a  living  part  of  that  movement  in 
the  world  that  determines  the  greater  destiny  of  man; 


14  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

you  become  one  of  the  chief  elements  upon  which  will 
depend  the  future  of  countless  generations  yet  to  be ; 
you  become  one  of  the  chosen,  of  the  Most  High. 

To  live  for  a  great  purpose  is  to  live  in  the  world 
of  great  ideas,  and  great  ideas  awaken  great 
thoughts.  Man  is  as  he  thinks.  Great  thoughts  pro- 
duce great  minds;  from  great  minds  proceed  great 
works,  and  great  works  constitute  the  building  mate- 
rial with  which  the  kingdom  upon  earth  is  to  be  con- 
structed. 

When  we  begin  to  live  for  a  great  and  good  pur- 
pose, we  place  in  action  that  law  that  causes  all 
things  to  work  together  for  good.  Henceforth,  noth- 
ing is  in  vain ;  every  person,  thing  or  event  that  comes 
into  our  world  will  add  to  the  welfare,  the  richness 
and  the  beauty  of  that  world.  All  things  become  min- 
isters of  the  life  that  is  real  life,  we  have  been  giving 
our  best  everywhere,  and  we  are  receiving  the  best 
from  every  source  in  return. 

To  live  for  that  which  is  high,  lofty  and  sublime,  is 
to  walk  with  God ;  the  love,  the  life,  the  power  and  the 
wisdom  of  the  Infinite  will  ever  be  with  us,  and  to 
have  such  companions  is  to  be  blessed  indeed.  Every 
moment  will  give  us  the  peace  that  passeth  under- 
standing, every  hour  will  be  filled  with  the  joy  ever- 
lasting, and  every  day  will  be  as  a  thousand  years  in 
celestial  kingdoms  on  high. 


To  give  the  world  emancipation  Is  the  ruling 
desire  of  all  minds  that  are  spiritually  awal(- 
ened;  and  these  should  remember  that  to  over- 
come evil  with  good  is  the  only  Way.  Forget 
the  wrong  that  may  appear  in  the  outer  world 
of  things,  and  give  all  your  thought  to  the  great 
good  that  is  inherent  in  all  things.  You  thereby 
place  in  action  the  greatest  emancipating  power 
that  the  human  race  will  ever  know. 

We  are  in  bondage  because  we  have  lived  to 
please  the  person.  Follow  the  soul  and  free- 
dom shall  come  quickly.  Then  We  shall  please 
the  person  better  than  ever  before.  To  follow 
the  soul  is  to  enter  the  greater  domains  of  life, 
those  domains  from  which  we  may  secure  every- 
thing that  is  rich  and  beautiful  and  superior  in 
human  existence.  The  soul  leads,  not  only  into 
the  life  more  abundant,  but  also  into  the  actual 
possession  of  all  the  spiritual  riches  that  the 
greater  life  may  contain.  And  when  we  find 
the  kingdom  that  is  within,  all  that  we  may  de- 
sire in  the  without  shall  be  added. 

The  soul  that  lives  most  perfectly  in  the  pres- 
ent, creates  most  nobly  for  the  future.  Be  your- 
self today,  regardless  of  what  happened  yester- 
day. Be  all  that  you  are  or  can  be  today,  and 
you  will  live  in  a  fairer  world  tomorrow. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  WAY  TO   FREEDOM 

There  is  only  one  will  in  the  universe  just  as  there 
is  only  one  mind.  The  one  mind  is  the  mind  of  God, 
the  one  will  is  the  will  of  God.  The  mind  of  indi- 
vidual man  is  an  individual  or  differentiated  expres- 
sion of  the  Infinite  mind,  and  the  largeness  of  this 
human  mind  depends  upon  how  much  of  the  one  mind 
man  may  decide  to  appropriate.  Man  has  the  free- 
dom to  incorporate  in  his  own  individual  conscious- 
ness as  much  of  the  Infinite  mind  as  he  may  desire; 
and  as  the  mind  of  the  Infinite  is  limitless,  the  inind 
of  man  may  continue  to  become  larger  and  larger 
without  any  end. 

The  will  of  the  individual  mind  is  a  partial  expres- 
sion of  the  will  of  God,  just  as  the  force  of  growth 
that  is  in  each  branch  is  a  part  of  the  same  force  that 
is  in  the  vine,  and  the  power  of  the  individual  will 
depends  upon  how  perfectly  the  individual  mind 
works  in  harmony  with  the  Infinite  mind. 

There  is  no  limit  to  the  power  of  the  will  of  God, 
the  divine  will ;  therefore,  when  the  human  will  is  as 
large  a  part  of  the  divine  will  as  the  individual  mind 

17 


18  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

can  appropriate  and  apply,  the  human  will  necessa- 
rily becomes  immensely  strong;  and  since  the  indi- 
vidual mind  can  appropriate  a  larger  and  a  larger 
measure  of  the  divine  will,  there  is  no  limit  to  the 
power  of  will  that  can  be  developed  in  the  mind  of 
man. 

To  develop  the  true  will,  the  first  essential  is  to 
realize  that  'there  is  but  one  will,  and  that  wei  will 
with  the  one  will  just  as  we  live  the  one  life  and  think 
with  the  one  mind,  though  in  our  thinking,  living  and 
willing,  we  do  not,  as  a  rule,  do  justice  to  that  part  of 
the  whole  which  it  is  our  privilege  to  use.  We  think, 
live  and  will  too  much  as  isolated  entities  instead  of 
as  divine  beings  eternally  united  with  the  Supreme. 

The  second  essential  is  to  realize  that  the  divine 
will  works  only  for  better  things  and  greater  things. 
The  path  of  the  divine  will  is  upward  and  onward 
forever,  and  its  power  is  employed  exclusively  in 
building  more  lofty  mansions  for  the  soul.  Therefore 
the  will  of  God  does  not  produce  sickness,  adversity 
or  death;  on  the  contrary,  the  will  of  God  eternally 
wills  to  produce  wholeness,  harmony  and  life. 

The  ills  of  personal  life  are  not  produced  by  divine 
will;  they  are  produced  by  man's  inability  to  prop- 
erly use  that  part  of  divine  will  that  is  being  ex- 
pressed in  his  mind,  and  his  inability  comes  because 
man  does  not  always  apply  his  will  in  harmony  with 
divine  will. 

When  man  uses  his  will  as  his  own  isolated  power, 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES  19 

lie  separates  his  mind  more  and  more  from  the  source 
of  his  power;  in  consequence,  the  power  of  his  will 
becomes  weaker,  and  he  necessarily  fails  to  accom- 
plish what  IIQ  has  in  view.  He  also  falls  apart  from 
the  one  ascending  current  of  life;  he  gets  out  of  har- 
mony with  the  true  order  of  things,  and  sickness, 
trouble,  adversity  and  want  invariably  follow. 

The  true  use  of  the  will  is  to  apply  the  will  in  the 
full  recognition  of  the  oneness  of  the  human  will  with 
the  divine  will.  My  will  is  as  much  of  the  divine  will 
as  I  am  using  now,  and  it  is  my  privilege  to  use  as 
much  of  the  divine  will  as  I  may  desire.  To  con- 
stantly think  of  my  will  and  the  divine  will  as  the 
same  will,  is  to  place  my  mind  in  such  perfect  har- 
mony with  limitless  power  of  divine  will  that  I  can 
appropriate  this  power  in  larger  and  larger  measure, 
and  the  more  I  appropriate,  the  stronger  becomes  the 
power  of  will  in  me. 

When  the  individual  mind  is  in  such  perfect  har- 
mony with  the  Supreme  mind  that  the  divine  will 
can  be  given  free  and  full  expression,  the  will  of  the 
individual  mind  becomes  invincible;  the  secret  there- 
fore of  developing  a  powerful  will  is  found  here,  and 
here  alone. 

The  true  will  is  never  domineering  nor  antagonis- 
tic ;  neither  does  it  ever  apply  the  force  of  resistance. 
If  you  are  antagonistic  or  have  a  tendency  to  resist 
everything  that  is  not  to  your  liking,  it  is  proof  con- 
clusive that  you  are  not  in  harmony  with  divine  will. 


20  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

You  are  misdirecting  your  power,  and  are  forming 
obstacles  and  pitfalls  for  yourself. 

The  divine  will  does  not  attempt  to  overcome  evils 
and  obstacles  with  antagonistic  or  domineering 
forces ;  the  divine  will  does  not  fight  wrong,  it  trans- 
forms wrong.  It  works  in  silence  and  serenity,  but 
goes  so  deeply  into  the  elements  of  things  that  it 
undermines  the  very  first  causes  of  all  adverse  or 
detrimental  conditions.  It  does  not  resist  the  surface, 
but  goes  calmly  beneath  the  surface  and  transforms 
those  undercurrents  from  which  surface  conditions 
proceed. 

The  divine  will,  by  going  into  the  deeper  life  of  all 
things,  transforms  all  things  into  harmony  with  it- 
self; and  can  transform  all  things  because  its  power  is 
supreme.  Therefore  when  we  are  in  the  midst  of  ad- 
versity, we  should  not  rail  against  fate  nor  antago- 
nize those  conditions  that  seem  to  work  against  us. 
"We  have  within  us  the  power  of  divine  will,  and  this 
will  can  change  everything  for  good. 

But  it  not  only  can,  it  will.  It  is  not  the  will  of 
God  to  keep  any  person  in  adversity.  It  is  the  will 
of  God  to  set  every  person  free,  and  every  person 
will  be  set  free  when  he  places  his  life  completely  in 
the  hands  of  divine  will. 

When  the  individual  mind  can  say,  from  the  heart, 
Thy  will  be  done,  the  individual  life  has  been  placed 
in  the  power  of  divine  will  and  that  life  will  at  once 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  21 

begin  to  pass  out  of  adversity,  sickness,  trouble  and 
want,  into  the  world  of  freedom. 

However,  we  do  not  give  up  our  individuality  when 
we  give  our  mind  over  to  divine  will;  we  do  not  be- 
come automatons  in  the  hands  of  some  superior 
power;  on  the  contrary,  we  open  our  minds  to  that 
power  that  alone  can  produce  individuality.  The  in- 
dividuality we  now  possess  has  been  formed  by  what- 
ever measure  of  divine  will  that  we  have  incorpo- 
rated in  our  own  conscious  existence,  and  by  opening 
our  minds  completely  to  divine  will,  we  shall  gain 
sufficient  power  to  make  our  individuality  infinitely 
stronger  and  superior  to  what  it  now  is.  Our  purpose 
is  not  to  be  used  by  the  Supreme,  but  to  use  the  power 
of  the  Supreme. 

To  live  the  life  of  God,  think  the  thought  of  God, 
and  will  with  the  will  of  God— that  is  the  secret  path 
to  the  highly  developed  individuality;  and  it  is  such 
an  individuality  that  becomes  a  master  mind,  a  Son 
of  the  Most  High. 

When  the  individual  mind  declares,  Thy  will  be 
done,  consciousness  must  fully  recognize  the  presence 
of  Supreme  power,  and  must  realize,  with  depth  of 
thought  and  feeling,  that  Supreme  power  invariably 
leads  to  higher  ground— the  world  of  freedom  and 
superior  existence. 

When  the  mind  gives  up  to  divine  will  in  an  indif- 
ferent, submissive,  self-surrendering  attitude,  it  is  not 
giving  up  to  divine  will;  it  is  simply  giving  up  to  the 


22 

surrounding  forces  of  fate.  Such  a  mind  will  permit 
the  forces  of  adversity  to  have  their  way,  thinking 
that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  much  suffering  must 
still  be  endured,  and  will  consequently  drift  with  cir- 
cumstances, accepting  whatever  comes  as  a  necessary 
chastisement. 

This  method,  however,  weakens  the  mind,  and 
places  the  individual  more  out  of  harmony  with  God 
than  ever  before.  We  always  place  ourselves  out  of 
harmony  with  God  when  we  accept  evil  as  coming 
from  Him,  and  we  weaken  our  own  ability  to  use 
divine  will  when  we  permit  adversity  to  exist  think- 
ing that  it  was  sent  from  God. 

To  give  the  mind  over  to  divine  will  is  not  to  give 
up  at  all,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  that  term;  we  sim- 
ply place  ourselves  in  that  position  where  we  can  use 
the  power  of  the  one  true  will  instead  of  a  mere  imita- 
tion. We  blend  our  own  desires  and  aims  with  that 
power  that  we  know  can  see  us  through,  and  we  work 
in  the  realization  that  whatever  is  detrimental  in  our 
plans  will  be  eliminated  as  we  press  on  towards  the 
great  goal  in  view. 

The  mind  that  is  aimless,  waiting  for  the  will  of 
God  to  take  him  where  he  belongs,  will  drift  with 
fate.  He  is  not  in  the  hands  of  divine  will,  he  is  in 
the  hands  of  circumstances  because  he  has  not  given 
divine  will  something  to  do.  God  does  not  tell  us 
what  to  do;  He  has  given  us  the  wisdom  to  know  our 
own  desires  and  our  own  tendencies,  and  He  has  given 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  23 

ns  the  power  to  fulfil  those  desires,  but  we  must  take 
individual  action;  this  is  why  we  have  individuality 
and  free  individual  choice. 

However,  when  we  do  take  individual  action,  God 
will  work  with  us  if  we  enter  into  harmony  with  Him, 
and  when  He  is  with  us,  failure  is  impossible. 

To  use  divine  will,  we  must  first  have  a  lofty  pur- 
pose in  view ;  we  must  have  something  high  and  some- 
thing definite  that  we  wish  to  attain;  we  must  have 
something  upon  which  to  apply  the  limitless  power 
of  divine  will,  and  we  must  desire  to  reach  that  goal 
with  the  very  deepest  and  strongest  desires  of  heart 
and  soul. 

Then  we  must  will  to  press  on,  knowing  that  we 
are  using  divine  will,  the  Supreme  will  of  the  Most 
High,  because  this  is  the  only  will  in  the  universe. 
It  is  the  will  that  eternally  wills  the  higher,  the 
greater  and  the  better— the  will  that  is  invincible, 
and  always  does  what  it  wills  to  do. 

To  the  minds  of  the  many  the  truei  meaning  of  the 
will  of  God  has  not  been  made  perfectly  clear;  there- 
fore the  majority,  even  among  those  who  have  strong 
spiritual  tendencies,  hesitate  to  give  up  to  the  abso- 
lute direction  of  higher  power.  There  is  a  slight 
dread  in  the  mind  of  the  average  person  whenever  he 
thinks  of  entering  the  uncertainty  and  the  myste- 
riousness  of  the  seeming  void,  and  as  long  as  things 
are  reasonably  well  he  does  not  care  to  give  up  to 
some  power  he  knows  nothing  of.  And  as  a  true  un- 


24  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

derstanding  of  higher  power  can  not  be  found  among 
the  many,  there  are,  accordingly,  but  few  who  can 
actually  declare,  with  the  whole  heart,  ' '  Thy  will  be 
done."  We  frequently  pray  for  His  will  to  guide  us, 
nevertheless  we  inwardly  expect  to  use  our  own  wills 
in  mostly  everything  we  do.  But  such  prayers  are 
not  true  to  the  spirit,  and  therefore  they  prevent  the 
soul  from  actually  discerning  the  real  meaning  of 
God 's  will ;  and  also  prevent  the  mind  from  becoming 
a  perfect  channel  for  the  expression  of  His  will. 

The  universe  is  orderly  from  center  to  circumfer- 
ence, and  everything  is  established  upon  the  firm 
foundation  of  eternal  right  and  universal  good.  There 
is  a  power  that  lives  and  moves  throughout  this  vast 
immensity,  and  all  those  things  that  have  a  perma- 
nent place  in  the  cosmos,  or  that  are  instrumental  in 
any  way,  in  promoting  the  purpose  of  life,  have  their 
source  in  this  one  power.  All  the  laws  and  forces  in 
existence  spring  originally  from  this  power;  it  is 
therefore  the  center  and  source  of  all  that  lives  and 
moves;  and  this  power  is  the  will  of  God.  Accord- 
ingly, to  do  the  will  of  the  Father  is  to  enter  into 
harmony  with  the  universal  order  and  promote  the 
great  eternal  plan. 

The  laws  of  life  are  all  expressions  of  Supreme  will. 
God  wills  eternally  the  right  and  the  true,  and  the  act 
of  His  willing  originates  and  perpetuates  the  sublime 
plan  of  life  that  harmoniously  thrills  the  entire  cos- 
mos during  endless  eternities.  God's  will  is  constant 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  25 

and  changeless;  therefore  all  the  laws  and  principles 
in  existence  remain  ever  the  same,  as  they  are  all  the 
expression  of  the  One  Will.  All  that  we  see  in  the 
life  of  the  universe  is  the  eternal  coming  forth  of 
Divine  Will,  and  the  perpetual  returning  to  the  One 
Source. 

The  true  will  in  every  soul  is  an  individualization 
of  Infinite  Will,  and  the  true  use  of  the  individual 
will  means  the  doing  of  the  will  of  God.  The  Infinite 
Will  does  not  seek  to  control  things,  but  seeks  eter- 
nally to  give  itself  to  things.  And  here  lies  the 
secret  in  correctly  using  the  human  will,  and  in  plac- 
ing the  human  will  in  perfect  harmony  with  God's 
will.  When  you  can  say  with  the  whole  heart,  ' '  Thy 
will  be  done,"  you  are  not  giving  up  your  own  will, 
but  you  are  placing  your  own  will  and  the  whole  of 
your  life  in  oneness  with  God  and  in  harmony  with 
the  universal  order.  Therefore,  when  you  do  the 
will  of  God  your  own  will  becomes  right,  and  be- 
comes infinitely  stronger  than  it  ever  was  before. 

When  we  act  in  perfect  accord  with  the  laws  of  life 
on  all  the  planes  of  being,  we  are  doing  the  will  of 
God  because  what  we  call  law  in  life  is  the  will  of 
God  in  expression  in  life.  He  who  lives  in  perfect 
harmony  with  nature,  who  fully  appreciates  her 
grandeur  and  her  beauty,  and  who  daily  seeks  to  be 
inspired  by  the  loveliness  of  her  presence  is  doing  the 
will  of  God  in  the  natural  world.  He  who  rightly 
employs  all  the  elements  of  mind  and  body,  and  who 


26  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

furthers  the  purpose  of  his  own  being  in  constant 
growth  and  unfoldment  is  doing  the  will  of  God  in  the 
human  world.  He  who  searches  the  deep  things  of 
God  and  enters  into  that  high  state  where  God  be- 
comes "  closer  than  breathing,  nearer  than  hands  and 
feet;"  he  who  lives  and  moves  and  has  his  being  in 
the  infinite  sea  of  divine  light,  and  ever  ascends 
higher  and  higher  into  the  greater  glories  of  God's 
kingdom,  is  doing  the  will  of  God  in  the  spiritual 
world. 

Whoever  can  say  with  his  whole  heart  * '  Thy  will 
be  done,"  has  placed  the  whole  of  his  life  in  perfect 
accord  with  God ;  and  henceforth  he  will  seek  to  live 
in  perfect  harmony  with  all  that  is,  because  all  is  of 
God.  To  do  the  will  of  God  is  not  only  to  place  one's 
life  in  the  hands  of  God,  but  to  be  at  peace  with  all 
the  world,  and  to  give  one's  whole  life  to  all  the 
world.  The  will  of  God  seeks  eternally  to  give  itself 
to  things— all  things;  the  will  of  man,  to  be  in  har- 
mony with  the  will  of  God,  must  do  the  same. 

However  insignificant  a  law  may  seem  to  be,  it  is 
God  working  in  that  part  of  His  universe ;  and  as  He 
is  everywhere,  manifesting  His  power  everywhere, 
we  must  live  and  work  with  Him  in  all  things,  even 
the  most  trivial,  if  we  would  be  in  perfect  accord  with 
His  life  and  always  do  His  will.  A  law  in  life  is  a 
path  to  greater  things ;  in  truth,  an  open  door  through 
which  we  may  pass  more  closely  into  His  presence. 
We  can  meet  God  at  every  expression  of  life,  and 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  HOSES  27 

whenever  we  are  in  the  highest  state  of  harmony 
with  our  expression  of  life,  we  have  met  God  in  that 
place.  And  also,  when  we  use  that  expression  of 
life  in  entering  into  a  larger  measure  of  life,  we  do 
the  will  of  God  in  that  place.  Therefore,  whoever 
meets  God  everywhere,  and  does  His  will  in  every 
place,  will  realize  the  fullness  of  life  at  all  times  and 
under  every  circumstance.  And  to  realize  the  full- 
ness of  life  is  to  realize  the  allness  of  the  good. 

The  incompleteness  of  human  life,  in  general,  is 
caused  by  our  failure  to  enter  into  perfect  accord  with 
all  the  laws  in  our  sphere  of  existence.  We  may  be 
wholly  right  in  some  things  while  the  very  opposite 
in  other  things.  We  may  bej  scrupulous  in  regard  to 
the  right  use  of  some  laws,  and  at  the  same  time  con- 
tinually negligent  in  regard  to  others.  There  are 
many  who  take  perfect  care  of  their  bodies,  and  com- 
ply most  rigidly  with  all  known  physical  laws,  yet 
they  violate  the  laws  of  mind  nearly  every  hour  of 
'iheir  existence.  Others  are  very  careful  so  as  to 
think  only  the  truth,  and  do  their  best  to  remain  con- 
tinually in  the  most  beautiful  states  of  mind;  but 
while  aiming  to  live  in  mental  ideals  they  are  wholly 
indifferent  to  the  welfare  of  the  body.  Not  infre- 
quently we  find  people  who  live  in  perfect  accord  with 
intellectual  laws  but  violate  daily  the  moral  laws. 
Also,  too  many  who  are  the  reverse.  In  brief,  the 
majority  do  the  will  of  God  in  some  realms  while 
living  entirely  at  variance  with  His  laws  in  other 


28 


realms.  And  here  we  find  the  simple  answer  to  many 
perplexing  questions. 

When  some  misfortune  conies  to  you  that  you  do 
not  think  you  deserve,  do  not  think  that  God  is  unjust 
or  that  fate  is  unkind.  You  have  simply  failed  to  do 
His  will  in  all  things.  Do  not  blame  others,  do  not 
blame  fate,  do  not  even  blame  yourself;  simply  pro- 
ceed to  readjust  your  life  so  that  you  may  become 
one  with  Him  in  all  things.  Then  all  ills  shall  disap- 
pear, and  you  shall  not  only  regain  what  you  have  lost 
but  you  shall,  in  addition,  receive  much  more.  Live 
in  accord  with  all  the  laws  of  life  physically,  mentally 
and  spiritually;  do  all  things  in  the  consciousness  of 
God;  do  all  things  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  follow 
the  light  of  His  spirit  in  every  thought  and  deed; 
then  you  will  always  do  the  will  of  God. 


Though  you  may  Jn>e//  upon  ihe  mountain 
tops  of  the  spirit,  though  you  may  glory  in  the 
splendors  of  the  cosmic  realm,  though  your  mind 
may  go  out  upon  the  vastness  of  the  limitless  and 
your  soul  ascend  to  empyrean  heights,  still,  do 
not  for  a  moment  deprive  the  body  of  anything 
that  is  rich  and  beautiful  in  physical  existence. 
The  great  goal  is  the  spiritual  life,  and  in  the 
spiritual  life  all  the  joys  of  sense,  all  the  joys  of 
Intellect  and  all  the  joys  of  the  highest  heavens 
are  divinely  blended  into  one.  The  physical  life 
is  sacred.  The  earth  is  the  foot-stool  of  the 
Most  High.  Cod  lives  in  His  heaven,  but  every 
atom  in  the  visible  universe  thrills  with  the  glory 
of  His  radiant  presence. 


CHAPTER  HI 

THE  SUPREME  POINT  OF  VIEW 

When  we  are  upon  the  mountain  top  of  life  and 
look  upon  things  from  this  lofty  point  of  view,  we  dis- 
cover that  all  is  well.  Wherever  we  may  turn  our 
vision  we  find  the  same— all  is  well.  We  can  see  all 
things  and  yet  all  is  well  with  all  things;  the  good 
alone  is  in  evidence;  everything  is  in  the  likeness 
of  God,  and  we  conclude  that  everything  actually  is 
as  it  was  originally  created  by  God— very  good. 

But  when  we  descend  to  the  valley  we  find  many 
things  quite  different,  and  the  problem  is  whether 
the  scene  on  the  mountain  top  was  simply  a  beautiful 
vision,  or  the  scene  in  the  valley  an  unpleasant  illu- 
sion. 

To  the  mind  in  the  valley  the  life  of  the  valley  alone 
seems  real;  to  the  mind  on  the  heights  the  beauty 
and  glory  of  sublime  life  alone  seems  real,  while  the 
regions  below  are  but  the  undeveloped  beginnings  of 
some  better  day. 

To  decide  which  of  these  two  minds  is  right  is  not 
necessary;  we  cannot  know  the  truth  by  what  seems 
to  be  true  from  a  single  point  of  view.  It  is  results 

31 


32  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

that  demonstrate,  therefore  we  must  find  what  effect 
life  in  the  valley  has  upon  the  whole  of  life,  and 
what  effect  life  on  the  heights  has  upon  the  whole 
of  life. 

To  live  in  the  valley  alone,  ignoring  everything  that 
may  come  from  lofty  realms,  is  to  live  in  darkness, 
trouble  and  pain.  This  we  know.  To  him  who  se- 
cludes himself  in  the  lower  regions  of  existence,  noth- 
ing seems  to  be  wholly  well;  there  is  usually  some- 
thing wrong  or  defective  with  everything  with  which 
he  may  come  in  contact,  and  life  at  best  has  but  little 
to  give. 

How  different,  however,  everything  becomes  when 
we  begin  to  live  on  the  heights.  We  not  only  find 
that  all  is  well  in  these  upper  regions  but  all  things 
become  well  in  the  lower  realms  the  moment  we  begin 
to  live  in  the  upper.  We  must  therefore  conclude 
that  all  is  well  when  we  are  well,  but  that  we  are 
not  well  unless  we  live  on  the  heights. 

We  also  conclude  that  the  vision  of  the  soul  is  true, 
that  the  ideal  alone  is  real,  and  that  man  can  see  all 
things  as  they  are  only  when  entering  sublime  ex- 
istence. And  as  all  is  well  from  the  viewpoint  of  sub- 
lime existence,  to  think  the  truth  man  must  always 
think  that  all  is  well. 

To  live  in  the  lower  realms  is  to  live  in  pain;  to 
live  in  the  upper  realms  is  to  live  in  peace,  freedom 
and  joy.  Then  why  should  we  continue  to  live  in  the 
lower,  while  wholly  ignoring  the  upper?  Why  should 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  33 

we  declare  that  the  lower  alone  is  real,  and  that  the 
upper  is  but  a  pleasant  dream?  Is  pain  more  real 
than  joy  I  Is  bondage  more  real  than  freedom,  death 
more  real  than  life? 

True,  daily  experience  sometimes  seems  to  contra- 
dict the  vision  of  the  soul,  but  if  darkness  be  present 
now,  does  that  prove  that  light  is  always  a  mere 
dream?  When  we  are  wholly  out  of  harmony  we 
cannot  understand,  for  the  time  being,  how  there  can 
be  any  harmony;  all  seems  to  be  discord;  but  the 
moment  we  fully  recognize  the  absoluteness  of  uni- 
versal harmony,  discord  is  no  more. 

When  all  does  not  seem  to  be  well  in  daily  life,  we 
may  not  feel  that  we  can  truthfully  say  that  all  is 
well,  but  there  is  a  marked  distinction  between  the 
outer  appearance  of  discord  and  the  inner  reality  of 
harmony;  and  it  is  the  inner  reality  that  we  should 
live. 

When  discord  appears  on  the  surface,  the  cause 
may  be  found  in  the  fact  that  we  have  descended  from 
our  true  place;  we  have  tried  to  go  away  from  har- 
mony and  have  thus  produced  discord.  But  the 
moment  we  return  to  harmony,  the  discord  disap- 
pears, and  all  is  well. 

We  must  conclude  therefore,  that  so  long  as  we  re- 
main in  the  reality  of  harmony,  all  will  be  well,  be- 
cause all  is  always  well  in  the  world  of  harmony, 
and  the  world  of  harmony  is  the  true  world,  the  only 


34  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

true  world— the  world  in  which  man  was  created  to 
always  live. 

And  we  must  remember  the  great  truth  that  so  long 
as  man  lives  in  the  world  of  harmony  there  can  be 
no  discord  anywhere ;  so  long  as  he  lives  in  the  upper 
regions  nothing  can  go  wrong  in  the  lower  regions. 
The  lower  states  of  life  are  but  effects  of  what  man 
does,  and  when  man  is  on  the  heights  he  will  do  only 
that  which  is  well  because  all  is  always  well  on  the 
heights;  therefore,  since  like  causes  produce  like 
effects,  all  will  be  well  in  the  valley  so  long  as  man 
lives  on  the  mountain  top. 

This  being  true,  every  person  should  always  think 
that  all  is  well,  and  should  always  live  in  that  sub- 
linie  life  where  all  is  absolutely  well.  Thus,  that 
which  is  well,  will  manifest  in  every  part  of  life, 
while  that  which  did  not  seem  to  be  well  will  pass 
away.  Live  in  the  true,  and  the  whole  of  life  be- 
comes true. 


Whoever  discerns  clearly  the.  spiritual  essence 
or  divine  substance  which  is  the  basis  or  soul  of 
all  reality,  will  manifest  in  the  form,  not  only 
purity,  but  absolute  immunity  from  all  disease 
and  from  all  adverse  actions  among  physical  ele- 
ments and  forces.  His  body  will  be  spiritual- 
ized in  proportion  to  this  understanding,  and 
will  establish  itself  more  and  more  firmly  in  that 
state  of  being  where  divine  nature  reigns  su- 
premely. To  spiritualize  the  body  is  to  give 
greater  strength,  more  perfect  health  and  more 
youthful  vigor,  as  Well  as  higher  quality,  to  the 
body.  To  establish  the  body  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  spirit  is  to  give  the  body  absolute  pro- 
tection from  weakness  or  disease;  in  the  spirit 
we  find  all  the  elements  of  perfect  being  for  body, 
mind  and  soul,  and  we  place  the  body  in 
the  spirit  when  we  realize  that  every  atom  in 
the  body  is  filled,  through  and  through,  with 
the  real  substance  of  spirit. 

Make  yourself  a  living  example  of  the  power 
of  spirit.  Do  not  permit  a  single  Weakness  to 
continue  for  a  moment.  Do  not  say  that  you 
will  be  in  the  future;  say  that  you  are  now;  and 
you  are,  because  you  are  the  exact  image  of  the 
Supreme. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  TRUE  ORDER  OF  THINGS 

What  the  individual  life  is  to  be,  as  a  whole,  or  in 
any  of  its  parts,  depends  upon  where  the  conscious- 
ness of  being  is  established,  and  there  are  three  dis- 
tinct planes  in  which  this  consciousness  may  be  es- 
tablished; viz.,  the  physical,  the  psychical  and  the 
spiritual. 

To  establish  life  in  the  physical  is  to  become  a 
materialist ;  there  will  be  no  consciousness  of  the  finer 
things  of  existence,  and  the  understanding  of  things 
in  general  will  be  one-sided;  in  consequence,  the  mind 
cannot  see  anything  as  it  really  is,  and  will  make 
mistakes  at  every  turn. 

The  materialist  lives  for  the  body  alone,  and  de- 
pends upon  the  physical  senses  exclusively,  both  for 
knowledge  and  enjoyment;  but  the  physical  senses 
are  never  wholly  reliable  unless  when  employed  by 
mental  faculties  that  are  above  the  physical;  there- 
fore the  knowledge  of  the  materialist  is  composed 
principally  of  illusions  and  half-truths,  and  his  enjoy- 
ment is  but  an  inferior  imitation  of  real  happiness. 

The  life  of  the  materialist  is  necessarily  full  of 

37 


38  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

troubles  and  ills  because  he  cannot  be  in  harmony 
with  the  true  principle  of  life  so  long  as  he  is  living 
on  the  surface  of  life  instead  of  in  real  life  itself. 
In  brief,  all  the  ills  of  life  can  be  traced  to  material- 
ism, in  one  or  more  of  its  various  forms;  therefore, 
the  materialist  is  not  simply  one  who  denies  the  ex- 
istence of  the  soul;  the  materialist  is  any  one  who 
lives  in  the  body,  who  has  established  his  life  in 
physical  existence,  and  who  employs  objective  senses 
and  faculties  only,  regardless  of  what  he  may  believe 
about  God,  the  soul  or  the  future. 

Though  a  person  may  be  thoroughly  religious,  as 
far  as  he  knows,  and  may  believe  everything  that 
sacred  literature  may  say  about  things  spiritual,  if 
he  cannot  comprehend  the  spiritual  except  as  it  is  ex- 
pressed in  physical  acts,  physical  ideas,  physical 
rites  or  physical  symbols,  he  is  still  a  materialist;  he 
is  living  in  the  world  of  tangible  things,  and  has  no 
consciousness  of  that  higher  power  that  produces 
things. 

To  be  spiritual  he  must  discern  the  spirit  that  is 
within  things,  back  of  things,  above  things;  while 
his  senses  admire  the  outer  symbol,  his  spiritual  dis- 
cernment must  understand  the  interior  significance 
of  that  symbol,  otherwise  he  has  not  found  real  re- 
ligion or  real  spirituality. 

The  mind  that  has  not  entered  into  real  spiritual- 
ity, is  living  in  materiality,  and  to  live  in  materiality 
is  to  be  in  bondage  to  the  ills  of  this  world ;  therefore 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  39 

true  existence  cannot  be  realized  so  long  as  life  is 
established  in  the  physical  plane. 

To  establish  life  in  the  psychical  plane  is  to  be 
guided  almost  entirely  by  feeling  and  emotion ;  but  no 
feeling  is  absolutely  true  unless  it  originates  in  the 
soul,  and  our  feelings  cannot  originate  in  the  soul 
unless  we  have  established  life  in  the  spiritual  plane. 
Therefore,  the  person  who  is  living  in  the  psychical 
plane,  is  living  in  a  world  of  feelings,  emotions,  de- 
sires and  sensations  that  are  more  or  less  abnormal. 
His  mental  world  is  artificial,  composed  principally 
of  imaginations  that  are  patterned  after  things  from 
without  instead  of  the  understanding  of  absolute 
truth  from  within. 

The  imagination  is  always  influenced  a  great  deal 
by  the  play  of  the  emotions;  and  when  the  emotions 
are  the  results  of  external  suggestions,  as  they  always 
are  unless  when  we  live  in  the  spirit,  the  imagination 
will  likewise  be  under  the  control  of  things,  good  and 
otherwise.  This  means  that  our  thinking  will  be 
worldly,  materialistic  and  more  or  less  disordered, 
because  as  we  imagine,  so  we  think. 

Therefore,  to  live  in  the  psychical  world  is  to  live 
in  a  world  of  abnormal  feeling  and  misdirected  imag- 
ination; but  true  being  cannot  find  its  foundation  in 
such  a  world.  True  being  can  be  established  only  in 
the  consciousness  of  truth,  and  the  consciousness  of 
truth  can  be  gained  only  in  the  spirit. 

When  life  is  established  in  the  spiritual  state,  the 


40  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

physical  ceases  to  be  materialistic,  and  the  psychical 
ceases  to  be  a  troubled  sea  of  conflicting  emotions. 
Instead,  the  physical  becomes  an  orderly  expression 
of  the  pure,  wholesome  life  of  the  soul,  and  the  psy- 
chical becomes  a  world  of  the  richest  thought,  the 
most  sublime  feeling  and  the  highest  mental  enjoy- 
ment. 

The  spiritual  state  of  being  is  the  true  foundation 
of  being,  because  the  spiritual  alone  has  the  necessary 
qualities.  To  establish  life  in  any  other  state  or  upon 
any  other  plane  is  to  act  contrary  to  the  true  order  of 
things,  and  trouble  must  necessarily  follow.  There 
is  only  one  place  for  man  to  live,  and  that  is  in  the 
soul.  When  he  tries  to  live  elsewhere,  in  mind  or 
body,  he  separates  himself  from  his  great  inheritance 
and  does  not  receive  what  he  has  the  right  and  the 
privilege  to  receive. 

When  there  seems  to  be  nothing  in  life,  the  fault 
lies  with  the  man  himself,  not  with  the  laws  of  his 
being.  Instead  of  living  in  the  spirit,  where  he  could 
receive  everything,  he  has  gone  to  live  in  the  empti- 
ness of  the  material,  where  there  is  nothing  to  be  had 
but  the  undesirable  consequences  of  wrong-doing;  and 
wrong-doing  is  the  direct  result  of  wrong-going, 
going  away  from  the  true  state  of  being. 

To  live  in  the  spiritual  state  is  to  give  expression 
to  everything  that  is  in  the  spirit,  because  what  we 
actually  live  we  bring  out  into  tangible  existence;  and 
the  spirit  contains  everything  that  may  be  required 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  41 

to  perfect  the  whole  of  existence— physical,  mental 
and  spiritual. 

The  belief  that  the  spiritual  life  is  apart  from  the 
mental  and  physical  is  not  true;  it  is  the  spiritual 
alone  that  can  make  the  physical  and  the  mental 
complete;  in  brief,  we  do  not  begin  to  enjoy  the  body 
and  the  mind  until  we  begin  to  live  in  the  soul. 

We  cannot  attain  the  most  perfect  physical  health 
and  the  most  perfect  physical  development  until  we 
can  begin  to  draw  upon  the  inexhaustible  life  of  the 
spirit,  nor  can  we  attain  the  greatest  intellectual 
power  and  the  highest  mental  brilliancy  until  our 
minds  are  opened  to  real  spiritual  illumination. 

To  have  health  and  wholeness  of  body,  we  must 
have  an  abundance  of  that  life  that  is  health  and 
wholeness,  and  that  life  comes  only  from  the  soul. 
To  gain  that  life  we  must  live  in  the  soul,  and  the 
life  that  we  live  we  invariably  bring  forth  into  mind 
and  body. 

To  perfect  the  beautiful  in  the  physical  form,  we 
must,  likewise,  receive  the  necessary  elements  from 
the  spiritual  state.  Beauty  of  form  is  produced  by 
harmony  in  formation  and  soul  in  expression ;  but  we 
can  give  forth  neither  harmony  nor  soul  until  we 
actually  live  in  the  soul. 

The  true  development  of  mind,  character  and  life, 
all  depend  upon  our  ever-increasing  expression  of 
the  perfect  qualities  of  the  spiritual  life;  therefore 
the  truest,  the  best  and  the  greatest  results  from 


42  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

physical  existence  and  mental  existence  can  come 
only  when  we  actually  enter  spiritual  existence. 

But  to  enter  the  spiritual  is  not  simply  to  provide 
those  essentials  through  which  we  may  realize  the 
ideal  in  the  physical  and  the  mental;  to  enter  the 
spiritual  is  to  enter  another  and  a  greater  world— the 
transcendent  kingdom  of  the  soul— the  sublime  world 
of  cosmic  consciousness.  It  was  into  this  world  that 
Jesus  entered  when  ' '  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun  and 
his  garment  became  white  as  the  light."  We  can 
therefore  imagine  what  is  in  store  for  those  who  open 
their  eyes  to  its  splendor  and  glory. 


"Be  not  therefore  anxious  for  the  morrow. 
Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof."  The 
term  "evi/"  signifies  incompleteness,  or  that 
which  needs  perfecting,  development  and  fulfill- 
ment now.  The  statement  therefore  means  that 
we  have  sufficient  to  do  to  make  the  present 
moment  full  and  complete,  without  giving  any 
thought  to  what  we  are  to  be  or  do  in  the  future. 
When  the  present  moment  is  filled  with  the  most 
perfect  life  that  We  can  possibly  realize,  the 
seeming  incompleteness  of  the  present  moment 
will  simply  become  a  perpetual  growing  process. 
Incompleteness  will  thus  become  a  real  step  in 
growth;  it  will  be  like  a  growing  bud,  and  will 
not  be  evil,  only  lesser  good  on  the  way  to  greater 
good.  When  the  bud  ceases  to  grow  it  decays, 
and  becomes  unwholesome,  disagreeable.  Like- 
wise, when  the  buds  in  human  life  are  checked 
in  their  growth  they  produce  disagreeable  con- 
ditions. And  here  is  the  cause  of  all  the  ills  of 
the  world.  The  remedy  is  to  so  live  that  all  the 
power  of  life  is  centered  upon  the  present  mo- 
ment. To  give  the  whole  of  life  to  the  present 
moment  is  to  promote  the  growth  of  everything 
that  exists  in  the  life  of  the  present  moment. 
To  live  a  full  life  now  is  to  live  more  and  more 
life  now. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   GOOD   THAT   IS   IN   YOU 

The  good  that  is  inherent  in  everything  is  infinitely 
greater  and  more  powerful  than  any  imperfection  or 
undeveloped  condition  that  may  exist  in  the  outer 
^Yorld.  And  therefore  when  this  good  is  recognized 
and  brought  out  into  real  life,  that  which  is  not  good 
must  disappear.  To  apply  this  great  truth  to  your- 
self, to  others,  to  circumstances,  is  to  place  mind  and 
soul  in  that  attitude  where  conscious  contact  with  the 
divine  perfection  in  all  things  will  be  gained.  In  con- 
sequence, the  good  that  is  within  will  increase,  while 
undesired  conditions  in  the  without  will  decrease.  To 
recognize  the  greater  good  that  is  inherent  in  all 
things  is  to  cause  that  good  to  become  a  greater  and 
greater  power  in  you,  until  it  becomes  just  as  strong 
in  action  as  it  previously  was  in  realization. 

Live  in  the  conviction  that  "I  am  greater  than  all 
my  ills  or  failures ;  that  I  am  greater  than  the  limita- 
tions of  my  circumstances,  and  greater  than  any  con- 
dition that  I  can  possibly  meet. ' '  When  you  feel  that 
you  are  greater  than  your  ills,  those  ills  cannot  long 
remain,  because  what  you  inwardly  feel,  you  realize, 

45 


46  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

and  what  you  realize,  you  bring  forth  into  living  ex- 
pression. To  open  the  mind  to  the  great  thought  that 
the  health  that  is  within  you  is  greater  than  any 
disease  than  you  can  ever  know,  is  to  open  your  life 
to  the  power  of  that  health;  and  when  the  greater 
power  of  the  health  that  is  within  you  comes  forth 
into  the  life  of  every  atom  in  your  being,  the  lesser 
power  of  disease,  weakness  or  adverseness  must  van- 
ish completely.  No  disease  can  long  remain  in  your 
system  after  you  begin  to  live  in  the  constant  convic- 
tion that  the  absolute  health  that  is  within  you  is  in- 
finitely greater  and  more  powerful  than  all  the  sick- 
ness in  the  world.  Nor  can  failure  continue  after  you 
begin  to  realize  that  you,  in  the  reality  of  your  whole 
being,  have  the  power  to  turn  the  tide  of  any  circum- 
stance that  may  ever  appear  in  your  world.  The 
good  that  is  within  you  is  larger  and  more  powerful 
than  all  the  troubles,  misfortunes  or  disappointments 
in  existence ;  and  this  good,  when  fully  recognized  by 
you,  will  begin  to  work  for  you.  It  will  work  for  your 
good,  and  will  turn  to  good  account  everything  that 
can  happen. 

When  you  know  that  you  are  greater  than  any  un- 
developed condition  that  may  exist  in  mind  or  body, 
you  gain  the  power  to  transcend  limitations.  Your 
consciousness  begins  to  break  bounds,  and  you  find 
yourself  in  that  larger,  richer  mental  world  that  you 
so  long  have  desired  to  reach.  You  are  placed  in 
touch  with  the  universal  and  begin  to  draw  upon  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  47 

limitless  for  wisdom  and  power  and  joy.  You  no 
longer  feel  cramped,  but  realize  that  you  are  abso- 
lutely free  to  live  the  largest,  the  best  and  the  most 
beautiful  life  that  you  can  possibly  picture.  The 
ideals  that  you  discover  during  the  highest  flights  of 
mind  and  soul,  are  no  longer  considered  impossibili- 
ties; you  know  that  you  can  realize  them  all;  to  you 
there  is  no  failure  because  the  good  that  is  within 
you  is  greater  than  all  failure.  You  are  above  limita- 
tions; you  are  master  of  limitations,  and  have  the 
power  to  transform  every  undeveloped  condition  into 
the  highest  form  of  completeness  and  superior  worth. 
The  lesser  is  passing  away,  and  the  greater  is  being 
realized  in  an  ever  increasing  measure. 

The  good  that  is  inherent  in  others  is  infinitely 
greater  than  all  their  faults,  short-comings  or  imper- 
fections ;  therefore  we  can  readily  forgive  them  for  all 
these.  There  is  more  in  man  than  the  undeveloped 
surface,  and  it  is  this  more  that  we  will  recognize, 
love  and  admire.  When  anyone  goes  wrong  we  will 
not  criticise  or  complain;  we  cannot  criticise  anyone 
without  harming  everybody  concerned,  ourselves  in- 
cluded ;  nor  can  we  think  well  of  anyone  without  help- 
ing everybody  concerned,  ourselves  included.  And 
everybody  wants  the  best  to  happen  to  everybody. 
To  live  in  constant  recognition  of  the  weaker  side  of 
human  nature  is  to  open  the  mind  to  weakness,  dis- 
cord, failure  and  unhappiness.  We  steadily  grow  into 
the  likeness  of  that  which  we  think  of  the  most.  But 


48  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

to  live  in  constant  spiritual  touch  with  the  great 
good  that  exists  in  everybody,  is  to  open  the  mind  to 
strength  and  happiness  that  cannot  be  measured. 
The  most  beautiful  moments  in  life  are  realized  when 
we  feel  that  we  are  one  with  God  and  one  with  that 
something  in  man  that  is  created  in  the  image  of 
God.  And  these  moments  may  become  eternal. 

Whatever  we  may  meet  in  life  we  should  always 
remember  that  the  good  within  all  things  is  far 
greater  than  anything  that  may  appear  on  the  sur- 
face; and  that  this  greater  good  will  finally  rule  the 
day.  When  this  good  is  to  reign  supremely  in  our 
world  will  depend  upon  us  and  us  alone.  The  supe- 
rior within  us  is  always  ready  and  will  come  forth 
into  tangible  expression  whenever  we  are  ready  to 
receive  it.  But  we  are  not  ready  until  we  give  the 
greater  good  in  all  things  the  first  thought,  no  matter 
what  the  circumstances  may  be.  Whatever  may  come, 
meet  it  all  with  the  thought  that  the  good  within  is 
greater  still.  The  good  that  is  inherent  in  all  things 
is  always  greater  and  more  powerful.  The  greatest 
things  in  the  without  are  insignificant  in  comparison. 
Therefore,  we  can  readily  understand  how  easily  the 
circumstances  and  conditions  in  the  external  world 
could  be  changed  for  the  better,  provided  the  all- 
powerful  good  within  us  was  called  forth  into  tan- 
gible action.  And  now  we  smooth  the  pathway  of  life 
when  we  realize  that  there  is  a  greater  good  in  every- 
thing we  meet.  How  kindly  we  feel  towards  all  per- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  49 

sons  and  all  events ;  nothing  seems  adverse  any  more 
and  what  we  previously  looked  upon  as  obstacles  are 
now  stepping  stones  in  attainment.  By  recognizing 
the  greater  good  in  all  things,  we  open  our  minds  to 
the  wisdom  and  the  power  that  is  contained  in  this 
greater  good;  and,  in  consequence,  we  are  inspired  by 
every  circumstance  and  enriched  by  every  experience. 
We  gain  something  from  everything  we  pass  through, 
and  every  event,  however  adverse,  simply  tends  to 
arouse  more  and  more  of  the  real  greatness  within. 
Even  evil,  in  all  of  its  forms,  becomes  a  lifting  power 
in  our  world,  because  we  are  in  constant  touch  with 
the  great  good  that  is  back  of  and  above  all  evil.  We 
are  not  crushed  by  the  ills  and  the  wrongs  that  may 
exist  about  us,  but  instead  we  are  inspired  to  greater 
thoughts,  greater  deeds  and  a  greater  life.  All  things 
serve  us  because  we  have  found  that  greater  good  in 
all  things  that  is  ever  waiting  to  serve.  We  have  be- 
come friendly  with  the  best  that  is  in  the  world,  and 
the  best  is  becoming  friendly  with  us  in  return. 


The  great  and  good  are  many,  but  he  who 
loves  with  such  a  love  that  with  his  love  some 
other  soul  has  scaled  the  heights  and  there  beheld 
what  life  eternal  holds  in  store  for  man,  has 
wrought  the  noblest  of  them  all.  Then  give  me 
such  a  love  in  boundless  measure.  Give  me  the 
love  of  some  inspired  soul  whose  living  presence, 
fair  and  strong,  can  spur  me  on  and  on  to 
greater  heights  than  human  life  has  ever  reached 
before — some  pure  and  tender  heart  who  knows 
the  sacred  longings  of  that  life  supreme  within 
that  must  ascend  and  evermore  ascend — some 
fair  illumined  soul  whose  spirit  dwells  within  the 
vision  of  transcendent  realms  on  high  and  knows 
that  I  am  made  for  such  a  place.  Then  life 
shall  be  a  life  indeed  to  me;  my  sacred  longings 
all  shall  be  fulfilled,  and  every  good  that  I  can 
wish  for  shall  be  mine,  for  all  the  joys  of  earth 
and  all  of  heaven's  ecstasies  sublime  abide  for 
evermore  in  such  a  love. 


CHAPTER  VI 

GIVE   YOUR   BEST    TO  THE  WORLD 

We  have  looked  far  and  wide  for  remedies,  but  in 
search  we  have  overlooked  one  of  the  greatest  of 
all ;  and  that  is  love.  Not  the  love  of  the  person ;  not 
mere  sentiment  or  emotion,  but  that  strong,  spiritual 
feeling  that  makes  every  atom  in  your  being!  thrill 
with  the  purest  sympathy  and  the  highest  kindness; 
and  that  makes  you  feel  that  every  creature  in  exist- 
ence deserves  your  most  tender  care  and  attention. 

When  everything  goes  wrong  with  us,  we  blame 
fate,  environment  or  the  world;  we  forget  that  the 
world  does  to  us  what  we  have  done  to  the  world. 
When  we  blame  the  world  for  everything,  the  world 
will  so  act  that  it  will  be  to  blame;  but  when  we  love 
the  entire  world  with  the  whole  heart,  the  world  will 
change  toward  us  accordingly  and  be  kind. 

When  you  do  not  succeed,  when  no  one  seems  to 
care  for  your  service,  or  for  your  talents,  there  are 
two  things  to  do ;  do  your  best  and  love  much.  Do  not 
condemn  the  race  because  it  is  slow  to  appreciate 
your  worth;  when  you  do  this  you  push  the  world 
further  away  from  yourself,  and  its  appreciation  will 

53 


54  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

decrease  instead  of  increase.  Love  the  world,  the 
whole  world,  and  love  with  all  the  power  of  heart 
and  soul;  this  will  bring  the  world  nearer  to  you; 
you  will  enter  into  friendly  relationship  with  the 
world ;  the  race  will  thereby  discover  what  you  have 
to  give  and  will  come  at  once  to  receive  your  talent. 

True  achievement  in  any  sphere  of  action  depends 
upon  real  ability,  and  a  strong,  deep,  whole-souled 
love.  Eeal  ability  can  be  cultivated,  and  we  can  all 
learn  to  love  much;  therefore  the  future  of  any  per- 
son may  become  far  greater  and  more  beautiful  than 
the  present. 

When  others  speak  wrongly  against  you,  do  not 
permit  the  slightest  trace  of  ill-feeling ;  anger  and  in- 
dignation not  only  weaken  your  own  system,  but  also 
cause  you  to  attract  disagreeable  people  and  adverse 
conditions.  Love  those  who  have  mistreated  you; 
love  them  with  the  very  deepest  power  of  your  soul 
and  they  will  soon  come  to  you  to  make  everything 
right  again.  Love  can  change  the  worst  hatred  into 
the  deepest  love;  and  what  is  more,  when  you  love 
everybody  you  attract  only  the  best  people  and  the 
best  conditions. 

Love  much,  and  lovely  souls  will  daily  come  into 
your  life ;  and  those  people  who  are  not  as  lovely  as 
they  might  be,  will  become  better  because  they  have 
met  you  and  felt  the  divine  fires  aflame  in  your  soul. 

When  people  are  going  wrong,  just  love  them ;  not 
with  the  person,  nor  in  a  weak,  sentimental  sense,  but 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  55 

with  that  strong,  soul-love  that  comes  from  the  very 
heart  of  the  Infinite.  Such  love  will  lift  anybody; 
and  whoever  is  lifted  up  into  the  better  becomes  bet- 
ter. When  we  ascend  in  the  scale  of  life  we  enter 
the  truer  and  the  higher;  we  enter  the  right  and 
thereby  become  true  and  right. 

When  you  have  reason  to  think  that  others  are 
trying  to  take  advantage  of  you,  have  no  fear.  Do 
not  condemn;  do  not  think  of  the  wrong  they  are 
planning  to  do;  take  God  with  you  and  love  them; 
love  as  you  never  loved  before,  and  the  wrong  they 
are  holding  against  you  will  change  and  become  a 
great  power  for  your  good  instead.  Love  can  change 
any  condition  or  circumstance  and  every  change  that 
comes  through  love  is  a  change  for  the  better. 

Love  brings  us  into  right  relations  with  all  persons 
and  all  things;  love  removes  inharmony,  perverted 
feelings,  obstacles,  barriers  and  all  kinds  of  unnatural 
conditions,  and  produces  that  perfect  oneness  through 
which  the  beautiful  life  can  come  forth.  He  who  has 
placed  himself  in  oneness  with  man  can  easily  find  his 
unity  with  God;  but  no  one  can  find  God  who  does  not 
love  man.  When  we  love  the  whole  race  with  the 
whole  heart,  then  we  shall  enter  the  presence  of  Him 
who  is  love. 

It  is  the  truth  that  "He  is  nearest  to  God  who  is 
nearest  to  man;"  and  the  nearer  we  are  to  God,  the 
more  life  and  power  we  receive  from  above;  in  conse- 
quence, the  more  we  can  accomplish  in  the  world,  and 


56  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

the  better  off  will  the  world  be  because  we  caine  here 
to  live  for  a  while. 

To  be  at  peace  with  everything  is  one  of  the  great- 
est secrets  to  greatness,  usefulness  and  high  spiritual 
attainment;  and  he  alone  can  find  the  peace  that 
passeth  understanding  who  loves  everybody  and 
loves  much.  But  true  spiritual  love  does  not  love  be- 
cause it  expects  to  gain  thereby ;  when  we  love  in  the 
spirit  of  gain  our  love  is  only  material  emotion,  and 
does  not  come  from  the  spiritual  depths  of  the  soul. 

Pure  soul  love  loves  because  it  is  love,  and  must 
love.  It  loves  because  it  is  its  very  life  to  love,  and 
could  not  cease  loving  without  ceasing  to  be.  And  it 
cannot  cease  to  be  because  the  love  that  is  love  is 
eternal  love.  Therefore  to  awaken  the  love  of  the 
soul  is  to  place  in  action  one  of  the  highest  powers 
in  the  universe ;  a  power  that  can  do  so  much  because 
it  is  so  much. 

To  feel  the  interior  presence  of  this  love,  with  its 
high,  strong,  invincible  power,  perfectly  blended  with 
the  sweetest  tenderness,  not  only  produces  a  joy  that 
can  not  be  measured  but  also  lifts  you  into  a  universe 
that  is  fairer  by  far  than  we  ever  imagined  heaven  to 
be.  And  truly  it  is  heaven  we  enter  when  we  love 
with  such  a  love,  when  we  love  as  God  loves. 

Pure  love  sees  no  evil,  no  sin,  no  wrong;  it  does  not 
live  in  the  world  of  illusion  or*  darkness ;  it  is  a  child 
of  the  light  and  radiates  its  spiritual  glory  wherever 
it  may  be.  Where  love  is,  there  will  the  light  be  also ; 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  57 

and  neither  darkness,  sickness  nor  sin  can  exist  in  the 
light. 

There  is  nothing  that  will  not  be  blessed  by  the 
presence  of  love;  and  the  soul  that  loves  with  the 
spirit,  that  loves  much  and  loves  always,  will  meet 
the  good  alone.  He  has  given  his  best  to  the  world, 
and  the  world  will  open  its  heart  to  him  and  be  kind. 
As  the  years  pass  by,  the  world  will  lavish  upon  him 
the  richest  treasures  within  its  power  to  give,  and 
nothing  will  be  too  good  to  place  at  his  door.  Bless- 
ings of  all  kinds  from  every  direction  will  come  in 
greater  and  greater  abundance,  and  his  life  will  be 
full  with  the  best  that  God  and  man  can  give;  because 
he  has  given  his  best  to  the  world,  and  loved  much. 

The  practical  mind  may  think  that  this  is  only 
sentiment,  and  therefore  has  no  value,  neither  for 
the  physical  life  nor  for  the  spiritual  life.  But  too 
often  the  practical  mind  looks  for  his  treasure  in  the 
realm  of  effect  instead  of  in  the  realm  of  cause;  in 
consequence,  he  finds  but  little  of  real  value  anywhere 
in  life.  The  great  things  in  life  do  not  come  through 
minds  that  dwell  merely  on  the  surface,  that  cannot 
rise  above  the  world  of  tangible  results.  Everything 
that  is  beautiful  and  of  real  worth,  whether  it  appeals 
to  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  intellect  or  the  soul,  has  come 
through  the  mind  that  had  visions,  the  mind  that 
could  soar  to  supreme  heights,  and  behold  the  real 
splendor  and  glory  of  the  world. 

To  be  practical  is  well  and  necessary;  but  there  is 


58  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

something  else  that  comes  first.  This  something  else 
brings  forth  the  substance,  the  material  upon  which 
practical  efforts  may  be  applied ;  therefore,  the  prac- 
tical mind  cannot  act  until  the  dreamer  has  had  his 
vision. 

The  higher  nature  of  man  must  act  before  the  ex- 
ternal mind  can  find  anything  of  value  to  do ;  the  soul 
must  live  and  think  before  the  person  can  attain  and 
achieve,  and  the  greater  the  love,  the  greater  the  life 
and  the  thought  of  the  soul. 

Whatever  has  added  to  the  welfare  of  man  in  any 
age  has  been  the  product  of  the  mind  with  the  vision. 
All  the  good  things  of  life  have  come  from  the  world 
of  visions  and  dreams.  Someone  entered  the  finer 
realms  of  life  for  a  moment  and  brought  back  a 
treasure.  The  practical  mind  turned  it  to  use,  and 
the  world  was  richer  and  better  than  it  was  before. 

This  being  true,  it  is  the  very  height  of  wisdom  to 
train  ourselves  to  enter  consciously  and  frequently 
into  those  finer  realms  and  thus  bring  forth  more  of 
its  hidden  treasures.  It  is  the  best  we  all  seek,  and 
since  the  best  comes  from  the  ideal  world,  the  better 
we  understand  the  ideal,  the  richer  and  greater  life 
will  become.  To  be  practical  in  the  largest  sense  of 
that  term  is  to  so  live  that  we1  can  touch  the  sublime 
on  the  one  hand  and  turn  every  ideal  into  a  living 
reality  on  the  other. 

The  great  mind  is  the  dreamer,  the  prophet,  the 
eoul  with  visions ;  the  mind  that  can  soar  to  empyrean 


59 


heights  and  reveal  to  the  race  some  higher  truth,  some 
better  way,  and  thereby  elevate  the  whole  of  man- 
kind. This  is  the  mind  that  brings  real  values  to  the 
world,  that  makes  life  worth  while;  and  one  of  his 
principal  secrets  is  love. 

When  we  love  in  this  supreme,  spiritual  sense,  we 
give  a  power  to  our  practical  efforts  that  we  never 
gave  before.  We  give  life  to  our  work ;  we  do  more 
and  better  work;  results  double  and  more;  we  do  this 
through  a  power  that  many  ignore  as  mere  useless 
sentiment;  and  we  thus  demonstrate  that  love,  the 
deep,  strong,  soul  love,  is  as  practical  as  any  tangible 
force  in  the  world. 

There  is  nothing  to  lose  but  failure,  and  every- 
thing to  gain,  when  we  learn  to  love  in  this  strong, 
high,  universal  sense.  To  begin,  love  as  much  as  you 
can;  be  directly  interested  in  the  highest  welfare  of 
everybody;  feel  in  the  depths  of  the  soul  that  we  are 
all  working  together  for  the  greatest  good  to  all  the 
race;  and  make  this  feeling  so  strong  that  it  thrills 
every  fibre  in  your  being. 

But  do  not  love  for  effect;  love  because  you  feel 
love;  and  train  yourself  to  feel  love  by  loving  with 
all  the  power  of  love,  and  in  the  highest,  purest  sense 
you  know.  He  who  tries  to  ascend  will  go  up ;  he  who 
tries  to  become  strong  will  enter  power;  and  he  who 
tries  to  love  everybody  with  the  deepest,  highest, 
strongest  love  of  the  soul  will  daily  enter  more  and 
more  deeply  into  the  very  spirit  of  that  love  that  is 


60  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

love.  And  when  you  are  awakened  in  the  world  of 
true  spiritual  love,  real  love  takes  possession  of  all 
your  feelings  and  desires;  and  all  your  love  will 
eternally  love  because  it  is  love.  From  that  moment 
you  will  constantly  receive  love  from  all  the  world 
and  constantly  give  love  to  all  the  world.  You  will 
gain  possession  of  one  of  the  highest  and  one  of  the 
greatest  powers  in  the  universe,  and  the  Infinite  will 
always  be  with  you.  God  is  with  every  soul  that  loves 
much ;  because  it  is  love,  the  deep,  pure,  spiritual  love 
that  gives  man  the  power  to  know  that  My  Father 
and  I  are  One. 


When  there  is  anything  you  truly  wish  for,  do 
not  stand  passively  hoping  that  something  may 
happen  to  make  your  wish  come  true;  go  out  and 
make  that  wish  come  true;  have  the  faith  that 
you  can;  believe  in  the  power  that  Cod  has 
given  you  and  Cod  will  give  you  more.  Know 
that  all  the  good  in  the  universe  lies  in  the  path 
of  him  who  has  faith,  and  who  will  use  the 
power  of  faith  to  make  his  own  faith  come  true. 
He  who  only  hopes,  will  see  visions  of  good 
things,  but  will  never  reach  them.  But  he  who 
transforms  his  hope  into  faith  and  his  faith  into 
living  works,  will  reach  every  lofty  goal  he  has 
in  view.  To  him  nothing  shall  be  impossible,  for 
Cod  is  with  him. 


CHAPTEE  VH 

GIVING   MUCH  AND   RECEIVING   MUCH 

When  you  have  attained  or  received  something  of 
exceptional  worth,  give  God  the  glory.  Do  not  praise 
yourself,  or  give  your  own  personality  the  credit.  All 
power  comes  from  above,  and  the  more  we  appreciate 
the  source  of  this  power  the  more  we  shall  receive. 
The  path  to  perpetual  increase  is  to  give  God  the 
glory  for  everything  that  comes,  and  when  we  realize 
that  everything  comes  from  God,  everything  that 
comes  to  us  will  have  exceptional  worth.  Every  mo- 
ment will  be  a  demonstration  of  the  power  of  truth, 
every  experience  will  be  an  open  door  to  a  larger, 
more  beautiful  world,  and  every  person,  thing  or 
event  that  we  may  meet,  will  add  to  our  welfare  and 
joy.  With  God  all  things  are  possible,  and  when  we 
give  Him  the  glory  for  everything  we  are  with  Him 
in  everything. 

To  live  the  life  of  the  great  eternal  now  in  the 
consciousness  of  those  spiritual  elements  in  which 
the  real  man  lives  and  moves  and  has  his  being,  is  to 
enter  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth.  In  the 
spirit  all  things  are  forever  new,  and  the  life  of  the 

63 


64  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

spirit  is  perpetual  ascension  into  the  newer,  the 
larger,  the  more  beautiful,  the  more  sublime.  When 
life  seems  barren  and  useless,  we  are  not  in  the  spirit, 
but  the  moment  we  enter  the  spirit,  a  million  uni- 
verses are  revealed  to  mind,  and  the  joy  of  existence 
becomes  supreme.  We  are  not  required  to  search  the 
world  of  things  for  happiness,  worth,  entertainment 
or  events  of  interest ;  one  moment  in  the  spirit  is  far 
more  interesting  than  a  whole  life  of  physical  ex- 
istence, and  one  hour  in  the  cosmic  world  is  a  thous- 
and ages  of  unbounded  bliss. 

Depend  upon  the  Infinite  and  His  power  will  see 
you  through.  We  learn  that  the  Lord  fought  for 
Israel  in  ages  gone  by,  and  he  will  do  the  same  now, 
for  He  changeth  never.  The  term  "Israel"  means 
one  chosen  of  God,  and  every  person  who  chooses  to 
go  with  God  will  be  chosen  of  God.  Go  with  God,  live 
with  God,  walk  with  God,  depend  upon  God  in  all 
things,  and  you  will  be  chosen  of  God.  When  you 
choose  God  as  your  leader  and  your  King,  He  will 
fight  your  battles;  He  will  be  with  you  always,  and 
you  will  never  see  anything  but  victory.  We  fail 
only  when  we  depend  upon  ourselves,  ignoring  the 
presence  and  the  goodness  of  the  Supreme.  We  go 
wrong  only  when  we  follow  the  light  of  our  own  dark- 
ness, forgetting  that  the  guiding  light  of  the  Most 
High  is  at  hand.  This  light  knows  what  we  ought 
to  do,  and  when  we  follow  this  light  we  will  always 
do  that  which  is  best. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  65 

The  light  of  the  spirit  never  leads  into  sickness, 
trouble  or  want.  The  light  of  the  spirit  invariably 
lead  out  of  that  which  is  evil,  and  into  that  which  is 
good.  To  go  with  God  is  to  go  into  freedom,  into  hap- 
piness and  into  everything  that  can  add  to  the  rich- 
ness and  beauty  of  life.  God  is  rich  and  can  give  us 
everything  we  may  need  without  depriving  anyone  of 
anything;  and  when  God  leads  us  on  to  victory  no  one 
will  lose  because  we  have  gained.  The  best  will  hap- 
pen to  everybody,  and  the  greatest  good  will  come 
to  all.  The  gain  of  one  is  the  gain  of  the  many,  pro- 
viding that  gain  was  secured  through  higher  power; 
and  when  the  one  ascends  in  the  scale,  millions  will 
discover  the  light  they  so  long  have  desired  to  see. 

This  is  our  purpose :  To  live  the  purest,  the  largest, 
the  fairest,  the  most  useful,  the  most  beautiful  and 
the  most  spiritual  life  possible,  just  for  today.  To 
be  our  very  best  here  and  now,  with  no  desire  to  out- 
shine some  other  being,  but  simply  to  be  all  that  we 
are  in  divine  being  now.  To  fill  the  present  moment 
with  all  the  spiritual  sunshine  that  we  can  possibly 
radiate  through  the  crystal  walls  of  love,  peace,  faith 
and  joy;  and  to  live  so  near  to  the  Supreme  that  we 
may  touch  the  hem  of  His  garment  whenever  we  so 
desire.  This  is  life,  and  he  who  lives  with  such  a  pur- 
pose forever  in  view,  shall  never  know  an  undesired 
moment. 

To  believe  in  the  Christ  is  to  enter  into  the  Christ 
consciousness ;  not  simply  to  believe  something  about 


66 


what  He  was,  but  to  realize  what  He  is;  to  feel  the 
sublime  life  that  He  felt,  and  to  know  that  touch  of 
the  spirit  that  He  knew.  We  believe  in  the  Christ 
only  when  we  can  mentally  feel  the  power  of  His  life 
in  our  own  divine  nature,  and  we  believe  in  His  name, 
the  name  that  is  above  all  names,  when  we  can  in- 
wardly discern  the  full  spiritual  significance  of  that 
name.  Belief  in  the  Christ  is  not  of  the  letter,  but  of 
the  spirit;  not  to  be  definitely  expressed  in  words, 
but  to  be  inwardly  felt  in  the  soul.  To  ask  in  the 
name  of  the  Christ  is  to  enter  into  the  spiritual  under- 
standing of  that  name,  into  the  very  soul  of  the  power 
of  that  name,  and  in  that  sublime  state  offer  our 
prayer.  When  we  enter  into  that  realization  where 
we  know  what  the  name  of  Christ  signifies  in  the 
spirit,  we  can  ask  in  His  name;  and  what  we  ask  in 
His  name  we  invariably  receive. 

When  we  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  name  of  the 
Christ  we  are  in  the  supreme  power  of  the  Christ; 
we  inwardly  know  what  the  Christ  is  and  what  He 
can  do ;  and  being  in  His  power,  we  are  in  that  power 
that  can  do  and  will  do  whatever  we  wish  to  have 
done.  We  fail  to  receive  only  when  we  are  outside 
of  that  power  that  can  give ;  but  we  invariably  enter 
into  the  power  of  the  Christ  when  we  inwardly  know 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  His  name.  To  end  a  prayer 
by  simply  saying,  "We  ask  it  in  Christ's  name"  is 
not  sufficient ;  we  ask  in  His  name  only  when  we  can 
consciously  feel  that  divinity  that  is  defined  by  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  67 

name  of  the  Christ.  Words  have  no  power  unless 
they  are  spoken  in  the  feeling  of  the  spirit  of  that 
truth  that  the  words  are  intended  to  convey.  We 
speak  to  God  only  when  we  spiritually  discern  and  in- 
wardly feel  what  we  say,  and  God  answers  only  those 
prayers  that  are  spoken  to  Him. 

We  should  never  try  to  eliminate  evil.  To  resist 
evil,  to  give  thought  to  evil,  or  to  work  against  evil, 
is  to  give  more  life  and  power  to  the  very  thing  you 
wish  to  remove.  Overcome  evil  with  good,  but  do  not 
array  the  good  against  the  evil,  thinking  that  over- 
coming implies  resistance  or  warfare.  To  overcome 
is  to  rise  out  of,  forgetting  the  lesser  by  giving  the 
whole  of  life  to  the  greater.  The  purpose  of  life  is 
to  grow  eternally  into  the  greater  good.  Aim  to 
fulfill  this  purpose  and  evil  of  every  description  will 
disappear.  There  is  no  wrong  in  the  world  that  de- 
mands our  attention.  The  good  alone  deserves  our 
attention,  and  when  the  good  receives  all  our  atten- 
tion, evil  cannot  exist  any  more.  Build  for  the  right ; 
inspire  every  soul  with  an  irresistible  desire  for  the 
right,  and  everything  you  do  will  add  to  the  power 
that  makes  for  freedom.  Think  of  the  good,  speak  of 
the  good,  work  for  the  good,  live  for  the  good,  and 
the  good  only,  and  your  life  will  be  a  light  wherein 
darkness  can  never  be. 

The  false  prophet  always  predicts  evil,  trouble, 
misfortune  and  death.  He  can  see  only  the  weak  side, 
the  man  made,  the  coming  and  going  illusions.  The 


68  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

true  prophet  can  see  that  which  lies  behind  the  illu- 
sion, that  which  is  possible,  that  which  is  in  store, 
that  which  can  be  done  and  will  be  done.  He  keeps 
the  eye  single  upon  the  high  state,  and  thereby 
ascends  into  the  reality  of  that  vision  which  pre- 
viously seemed  but  a  dream.  Every  person  who 
judges  according  to  appearances  is  a  false  prophet; 
he  forms  conclusions  that  are  not  true  to  real  life, 
and  by  following  those  conclusions  causes  that  which 
is  false  and  undesirable  to  come  to  pass.  Every  per- 
son who  judges  according  to  the  divinity  that  is  in- 
herent in  man  is  a  true  prophet ;  he  brings  truth  into 
expression  and  thereby  causes  that  which  is  true  to 
prevail  in  tangible  existence.  The  true  prophet  can 
see  the  greatness,  the  beauty  and  the  perfection  of  the 
soul  of  man,  and  knowing  that  the  soul  is  the  master, 
predicts  the  coming  of  everything  that  is  in  the  soul, 
or  that  the  soul  has  the  power  to  do;  and  all  such 
predictions  will  come  true. 

God  is  sufficient.  When  you  are  in  sickness,  trouble, 
sorrow  or  want  depend  upon  the  Supreme.  You  need 
nothing  else.  Infinite  power  is  greater  than  all  power, 
and  if  you  have  perfect  faith,  this  power  will  surely 
set  you  free,  no  matter  what  the  condition  of  bondage 
may  be.  The  ills  of  the  world  continue  principally  be- 
cause we  think  that  something  else  besides  the  In- 
finite is  required.  But  to  depend  upon  other  things 
besides  the  one  is  idol  worship.  The  true  worship  of 
God,  the  highest  worship  of  God,  is  to  live  so  near 


69 


to  God  that  we  can,  at  all  times,  feel  that  power  that 
can  do  everything,  will  do  everything,  is  doing  every- 
thing. When  we  worship  God,  in  spirit  and  in  truth, 
we  do  not  seek  help  from  things;  we  use  things  ac- 
cording to  their  nature,  but  we  seek  help  from  the 
Supreme  alone. 

There  is  no  bondage  in  living  according  to  the  law ; 
in  brief,  there  is  freedom  only  in  that  life  that  lives 
absolutely  according  to  the  law.  A  law  is  but  a  path 
to  new  realms,  fairer  than  we  have  ever  known  be- 
fore. To  follow  any  law  in  life  is  to  increase  the 
greatness  and  the  worth  of  life,  and  to  follow  all  the 
laws  of  life  is  to  grow  perpetually  into  the  highest 
good  that  body,  mind  and  soul  can  possibly  desire. 
And  no  one  could  wish  for  a  greater  freedom  than 
this.  To  use  the  law  is  to  gain  our  own;  to  misuse 
or  ignore  the  law  is  to  deprive  ourselves  of  our  own, 
and  bring  disorder,  want  and  pain  into  life  instead. 
The  law  never  binds  nor  holds  down ;  the  power  of  all 
law  moves  eternally  towards  the  heights,  that  su- 
preme greatness  that  is  waiting  for  man;  and  who- 
ever follows  the  law  will  move  with  that  power  up 
unto  those  same  heights. 

Give  God  the  glory  for  what  you  have  and  you 
will  receive  more.  Be  grateful  for  the  measure  that 
is  coming  to  you  and  that  measure  will  increase  per- 
petually. This  is  the  law  and  it  will  never  fail  un- 
less you  fail  to  do  to  others  what  God  is  doing  to  you. 
Giving  and  receiving  must  be  equal  in  your  life.  We 


70  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

must  give  something  for  everything  we  receive ;  noth- 
ing is  free;  the  universe  is  not  built  in  that  manner; 
but  giving  does  not  imply  the  gift  of  things.  True 
giving  and  true  being  are  one  and  the  same  in  real 
life. 

The  act  of  giving  produces  just  as  much  joy  as  the 
act  of  receiving,  because  both  add  to  the  richness  of 
existence.  "When  we  give  much  we  bring  forth  much 
from  the  depths  of  divine  being,  and  what  we  bring 
forth  becomes  a  permanent  part  of  actual  life.  "When 
we  give  much  we  add  to  life  from  the  within;  when  we 
receive  much  we  add  to  life  from  the  without;  and 
when  the  richness  of  the  within  is  harmoniously 
blended  with  the  richness  of  the  without,  then  real 
living  begins.  But  the  two  must  be  equal.  When  we 
give  more  than  we  receive,  or  receive  more  than  we 
give,  discord  follows,  and  herein  we  find  the  cause 
of  many  troubles  and  ills.  The  lesser  without  cannot 
receive  the  greater  within,  nor  can  the  greater  with- 
out be  appropriated  and  appreciated  by  the  lesser 
within.  The  small,  undeveloped  mind  cannot  enjoy 
the  sublime  grandeur  of  nature,  nor  can  the  great, 
highly  developed  mind  find  contentment  in  crude, 
uncultivated  surroundings.  The  without  and  the 
within  must  be  in  harmony  if  the  highest  happiness 
and  the  truest  life  is  to  be  enjoyed,  and  this  harmony 
is  invariably  secured  ^when  giving  and  receiving  are 
equal.  In  truth,  there  is  no  other  way;  if  we  would 
have  the  real  correspond  with  the  ideal,  and  the  ca- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  71 

pacity  to  enjoy  be  as  large  as  the  good  things  we  have 
found  to  enjoy,  we  must  give  as  much  as  we  receive 
and  receive  as  much  as  we  give. 

Before  we  can  receive  those  things  in  the  without 
that  have  worth,  we  must  bring  forth  worth  from 
the  within.  What  we  bring  forth  from  the  within  we 
always  give  to  the  world,  because  no  person  can  en- 
rich his  own  spiritual  life  without  enriching  the 
whole  world  thereby.  Before  we  can  receive  the  best 
of  all  things  in  the  without,  we  must  bring  forth  the 
best  of  all  things  from  the  within.  But  to  desire  to 
give  to  the  world  from  the  richness  of  our  own  nature 
is  not  sufficient ;  many  have  done  this  and  have  found 
themselves  in  want,  both  physical  and  spiritual.  To 
desire  to  receive  is  just  as  necessary  as  to  desire  to 
give.  The  two  desires  should  be  equally  strong,  and 
together  should  hourly  grow  in  strength.  The  desire 
to  receive  is  just  as  good  as  the  desire  to  give,  pro- 
viding the  two  desires  are  equally  dear  to  the  heart. 
The  more  we  receive  the  more  we  can  give,  and  the 
more  we  give  the  greater  our  capacity  to  receive. 
Therefore,  by  placing  ourselves  in  that  position  where 
we  can  constantly  give  more  and  more  and  constantly 
receive  more  and  more,  we  not  only  add  more  and 
more  to  the  richness  and  beauty  and  perfection  of  our 
own  life,  but  we  become  a  great  power  for  good  in  the 
world.  And  this  is  our  highest  aim. 

Before  we  can  live  a  great  life  and  receive  from  the 
external  world  those  things  that  naturally  belong  to 


72  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

a  great  life,  we  must  give  forth  into  real  life  more 
and  more  of  our  own  inherent  greatness.  Before  we 
can  receive  as  much  from  the  world  of  things  as  our 
largest  personal  needs  and  desires  may  demand,  we 
must  unfold,  develop  and  use  those  powers  and 
talents  that  are  necessary  to  the  building  of  greater 
and  greater  things.  Be  of  great  use  in  the  world  and 
you  give  more  and  more  to  the  world.  In  response 
the  world  will  bring  your  own  to  you.  He  who  ac- 
tively is  much,  gives  much;  and  he  gives  the  most 
who  serves  the  best. 

To  serve  the  human  race  in  the  largest  and  highest 
sense,  we  must  bring  forth  into  living  expression  the 
truest,  the  best  and  the  greatest  that  we  can  possibly 
find  in  the  depths  of  our  own  sublime  being.  And  to 
this  end  we  need  all  the  inspiration  we  can  receive 
from  nature,  all  the  love  and  friendship  we  can  re- 
ceive from  man,  and  all  the  wisdom  and  power  we  can 
receive  from  God. 

To  become  all  that  we  are  destined  to  become,  we 
must  receive  the  largest  possible  measure  from  every 
source,  but  we  cannot  receive  the  largest  possible 
measure  from  any  source  unless  we  give  all  we  have 
the  power  to  give  whenever  we  have  the  privilege  to 
do  so.  And  this  privilege  is  ever  present.  Whatever 
our  field  of  action  may  be  we  may  give  the  very  best 
that  there  is  within  us ;  and  we  will  not  do  so  in  vain. 
Live  a  great  life  where  you  are ;  hide  nothing  that  has 
worth;  use  every  talent  in  full  measure;  bring  forth 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  73 

into  life  and  usefulness  the  highest  powers  that  you 
know  you  possess,  and  you  will  enter  into  a  greater 
and  greater  life,  until  you  finally  reach  the  supreme 
heights  of  exalted  spiritual  attainments.  Awaken 
everything  within  you  that  can,  in  any  manner,  en- 
rich, beautify  and  perfect  the  whole  of  life.  Do  not 
limit  the  giving  of  your  greatest  self  to  any  one  part 
or  any  one  group  of  parts.  Live  for  the  universe  and 
all  that  the  vastness  of  the  cosmos  may  contain. 

The  more  we  all  give  to  the  whole  of  life  the  more 
we  all  shall  receive  from  the  whole  of  life.  We  there- 
fore have  everything  to  gain  by  giving  more  and  more 
everywhere,  and  by  receiving  more  and  more  from 
every  source  in  order  that  they  may  give  again  in 
still  greater  measure.  And  herein  we  find  the  secret 
to  that  beautiful  life  that  God  has  prepared  for  them 
that  love  Him. 


"Be  not  anxious  for  your  life."  Live  your 
life  according  to  the  very  highest  light  that  is 
within  you;  use  fully  and  Well  all  the  potters 
that  you  have  received;  give  your  best  to  the 
world  at  all  times  and  under  every  circumstance, 
and  depend  upon  the  Infinite  for  everything  that 
existence  may  need  or  desire.  You  will  receive 
it.  You  need  not  be  anxious  about  anything. 
Cod  is  greater  than  anything  that  can  possibly 
happen.  Have  faith  in  Him  and  He  will  see 
you  safely  through.  Things  go  wrong  only  when 
you  fail  to  be  your  best  and  fail  to  ta^e  Cod 
with  you  in  everything  you  do.  It  is  therefore 
in  your  power  to  place  yourself  in  that  position 
where  everything  will  go  right.  The  lilies  of  the 
field  are  all  that  beautiful  lilies  can  possibly  be, 
and  they  depend  wholly  upon  the  powers  divine 
that  are  within  them.  Accordingly,  they  are  an 
inspiration  to  all  the  world. 


CHAPTER 


AND  ALL  THINGS  SHALL  BE  ADDED 

But  seek  ye  first  his  kingdom  and  his  righteousness; 
and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.  — 
Mat.  6:33. 

The  kingdom  of  God  is  within,  and  manifests 
through  man  as  the  spiritual  life.  His  righteousness 
is  the  right  use  of  all  that  is  contained  in  the  elements 
of  the  spiritual  life.  The  spiritual  life  being  the  com- 
plete life,  the  full  expression  of  life  in  body,  mind  and 
soul,  it  is  evident  that  the  right  use  of  the  spiritual 
life  will  produce  and  bring  everything  that  man  may 
need  or  desire.  The  source  of  everything  has  the 
power  to  produce  everything,  providing  the  power 
within  that  source  is  used  according  to  exact  spiritual 
law. 

The  spiritual  life  being  the  source  of  all  that  is 
necessary  to  a  full  and  perfect  life,  and  the  kingdom 
of  God  within  being  the  source  of  the  spiritual  life, 
we  can  readily  understand  why  the  kingdom  should 
be  sought  first;  and  also,  why  everything  that  we  may 
require  will  be  added  when  the  firs*fc  thought  is  given 
to  spiritual  living  and  righteous  action.  Righteous 

77 


78 


action,  however,  is  not  simply  moral  action,  but  the 
right  use  of  the  elements  of  life  in  all  action. 

To  seek  His  kingdom  first,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
withdraw  from  the  world,  nor  to  deny  oneself  the 
good  things  that  exist  in  the  world ;  to  seek  the  king- 
dom first,  is  to  give  one's  strongest  thought  to  the 
spiritual  life,  and  to  make  spiritual  thought  the  pre- 
dominating thought  in  everything  that  one  may  do  in 
life.  In  other  words,  go  to  God  first  for  everything, 
place  your  greatest  dependence  upon  His  power  to 
carry  you  through  everything,  and  live  so  close  to 
His  kingdom  within  that  you  are  fully  conscious  of 
that  kingdom  every  moment. 

To  seek  the  kingdom  first,  the  heart  must  be  in  the 
spirit;  that  is,  to  live  the  spiritual  life  must  be  the 
predominating  desire;  but  the  mental  conception 
of  the  spiritual  life  must  not  be  narrow ;  in  brief,  that 
conception  must  contain  the  perfection  of  everything 
that  can  possibly  appear  in  life.  To  think  of  the 
spiritual  life  as  being  distinct  from  mind  and  body 
is  to  deter  the  spiritual  life  from  being  expressed  in 
mind  and  body;  but  what  is  not  expressed  is  not  lived. 
To  think  about  the  spiritual,  or  to  feel  the  emotional 
power  of  the  spiritual  is  not  sufficient;  but  that  is  as 
far  as  the  spiritual  life  has  been  taken  by  the  average 
person ;  that  the  other  things  were  not  added  is  there- 
fore no  fault  of  the  law. 

The  spiritual  life  must  be  thoroughly  lived  in  mind 
and  body;  the  power  of  the  spirit  must  be  made  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  79 

soul  of  all  power,  and  the  law  of  spiritual  action  must 
be  made  the  rule  and  guide  in  all  action.  When  the 
spiritual  is  lived  in  all  life,  the  richness,  the  quality 
and  the  worth  of  the  spiritual  will  be  produced  in  all 
life,  and  spiritual  worth  is  the  sum-total  of  all  worth. 

To  enter  the  kingdom  within  is  to  enter  health,  har- 
mony and  happiness,  because  these  three  great  prin- 
ciples reign  supremely  in  the  spiritual  life  of  man. 
Therefore,  by  seeking  the  kingdom,  health  will  be 
added,  harmony  will  be  added,  happiness  will  be 
added.  It  is  impossible  to  be  sick  in  the  spiritual 
life;  and  discord  and  unhappiness  can  no  more  exist 
in  such  a  life  than  darkness  can  exist  in  the  most  bril- 
liant light.  But  to  seek  the  kingdom  is  not  sufficient ; 
we  must  also  seek  his  righteousness.  If  we  misuse 
any  organ,  faculty,  function  or  power  anywhere  in 
body,  mind  or  soul,  we  cannot  remain  in  health  no 
matter  how  spiritual  we  may  try  to  be. 

To  seek  his  righteousness  is  to  use  everything  in 
our  world  as  God  uses  everything  in  His  world ;  which 
means,  in  harmony  with  its  own  nature,  in  harmony 
with  its  sphere  of  action  and  in  harmony  with  the 
law  that  tends  upward  and  onward  forever.  Right- 
eous action  is  that  action  that  is  always  harmonious, 
and  that  always  works  for  better  things,  greater 
things,  higher  things. 

To  enter  the  kingdom  within  is  to  enter  more 
power,  because  there  is  no  limit  to  the  power  of  the 
spirit;  and  the  more  power  we  enter  into  or  become 


80  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

conscious  of,  the  more  power  we  will  give  to  mind 
and  body.  In  consequence,  the  more  spiritual  we  be- 
come the  stronger  we  become,  the  more  able  we  be- 
come, the  more  competent  we  become,  and  the  more 
we  can  accomplish  whatever  our  work  may  be.  And 
he  who  can  do  good  work  in  the  world  invariably  re- 
ceives the  good  things  in  the  world.  To  his  life  will 
be  added  all  those  things  that  can  make  personal  ex- 
istence rich  and  beautiful. 

To  enter  the  kingdom  is  to  enter  the  life  of  freedom. 
There  is  no  bondage  in  the  spirit,  and  as  we  grow  in 
the  spirit  we  grow  out  of  all  bondage;  one  adverse 
condition  after  another  disappears  until  absolute  free, 
dom  is  gained.  All  bondage  comes  from  incomplete- 
ness in  living,  and  misuse  of  life  in  doing.  But  the 
spiritual  life  is  full  and  complete,  and  it  follows  the 
law  of  righteous  action  in  all  doing ;  therefore,  when 
we  seek  first  His  kingdom  and  His  righteousness,  per- 
fect freedom  in  all  things  and  at  all  times  will  invari- 
ably be  added. 

When  we  seek  first  the  kingdom,  all  other  things 
are  not  added  in  some  mysterious  manner;  nor  do 
they  come  of  themselves  regardless  of  our  conscious 
effort  to  work  in  harmony  with  the  law  of  life ;  that 
is,  the  law  of  being  and  doing  all  that  lies  within  the 
power  of  life.  We  receive  from  the  kingdom  only 
what  we  are  prepared  to  use  in  the  living  of  a  great 
life,  and  in  the  doing  of  great  and  noble  things  in  the 
world.  We  receive  only  in  proportion  to  what  we 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  81 

give ;  and  it  is  only  as  we  work  well  that  we  produce 
results;  but  by  entering  the  spiritual  life  we  receive 
as  much  as  we  may  require  in  order  to  give  as  much 
as  we  desire ;  and  we  gain  the  power  to  do  everything 
that  is  necessary  to  give  worth  and  superiority  to  our 
present  state  of  existence. 

When  we  enter  the  spiritual  life  we  gain  every 
quality  that  is  required  in  making  life  full  and  com- 
plete in  our  own  state  of  being;  and  we  gain  the 
power  to  produce  and  create  in  the  External  world 
whatever  we  may  need  or  desire.  In  other  words,  we 
receive  everything  we  want  from  the  within,  and  we 
gain  the  power  to  produce  everything  we  want  in  the 
without.  We  therefore  need  never  take  anxious 
thought  about  these  '  *  other  things. ' '  By  seeking  first 
His  kingdom  and  His  righteousness,  we  shall  posi- 
tively receive  them.  The  way  will  be  opened,  and  we 
shall  be  abundantly  supplied  with  the  best  that  life 
can  give. 

Depend  upon  me.  I  will  provide.  This  is  the  Word, 
eternally  spoken  from  on  high;  and  every  awakened 
soul  has  learned  the  message,  but  the  few  alone  have 
discerned  its  real  interpretation. 

God  is  rich,  and  nothing  is  too  good  for  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  The  Spirit  of  the  Infinite  will  provide; 
not  bare  necessities,  but  everything.  Ask  what  thou 
wilt  and  I  will  answer  thee. 

It  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  seek  everything 
that  is  good,  worthy  and  beautiful.  The  life  of  man 


82  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

should  be  full  and  complete ;  human  existence  should 
be  rich  in  body,  mind  and  soul,  for  this  is  the  great 
divine  purpose. 

To  think  that  we  must  live  on  bare  necessities  in 
order  to  be  spiritual,  is  to  limit  our  faith  in  the  good- 
ness and  the  power  of  God.  The  kingdom  of  God  is 
at  hand  now ;  we  are  expected  to  enter  now,  and  this 
kingdom  is  abundantly  supplied  with  everything  that 
can  enrich,  perfect  and  beautify  human  life. 

Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom,  and  all  other  things  shall 
be  added;  not  simply  enough  to  live  on,  but  all  things. 
The  love  of  God  is  infinite,  and  we  cannot  think  of 
infinite  love  as  wanting  to  give  less  than  all.  God 
has  the  power  to  give  all.  He  also  has  the  desire  to 
give  all,  and  therefore  every  soul  may,  at  any  time, 
receive  all  that  present  development  can  take  pos- 
session of. 

The  more  we  ask  of  God  the  more  we  please  God. 
To  give  is  the  highest  pleasure  of  true  love,  and  God 
is  true  love.  To  ask  Him  for  everything,  the  most  of 
everything  and  the  best  of  everything  is  to  enter  into 
the  life  of  the  highest  joy  of  heaven;  and  to  live  in 
such  a  life  is  to  live  indeed. 

When  we  do  not  have  what  we  want  or  what  we 
need,  we  should  remember  that  Spirit  can  provide, 
and  that  Spirit  will  provide  if  we  only  so  desire.  De- 
pend upon  me.  I  will  not  forsake  thee  nor  leave  thee. 
I  am  thy  Redeemer,  I  will  care  for  thee. 

Take  God  at  His  word.    Have  faith  in  the  message 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  83 

that  comes  from  on  high.  Believe  with  all  the  power 
of  mind  and  soul  that  God  will  do  what  love  will  do, 
because  God  is  love.  Open  the  heart  to  the  influx  of 
infinite  love,  and  all  that  God  can  give  will  come  with 
His  love. 

Do  not  hesitate  to  ask  God  for  material  things. 
God  owns  the  universe.  Everything  is  the  product  of 
His  creative  power;  therefore  it  is  all  good,  and  what 
is  good  is  good  for  man.  What  you  can  use  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  everybody,  including  yourself, 
you  may  receive.  Only  remember  this,  that  things 
spiritual  must  come  first  in  your  thought.  You  may 
have  abundances  of  things  material;  there  is  more 
than  enough  to  provide  everybody  with  all  the  luxu- 
ries of  life.  You  will  not  deprive  anybody  of  any- 
thing by  accepting  from  God  all  that  His  love  can 
give.  Others  may  receive  as  much  from  the  same 
source ;  but  seek  first  the  things  of  the  spirit,  for  this 
is  the  law. 

Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field.  Why  should  not 
you  be  arrayed  like  one  of  these  I  It  is  the  will  of  God 
that  you  should  be,  and  you  will  give  Him  great  pleas- 
ure by  asking  Him  to  clothe  you  even  more  gor- 
geously than  they.  But  we  must  remember  that  we 
are  not  to  take  these  things  from  others;  we  are  to 
receive  them  from  God.  There  is  a  great  difference 
between  the  two  methods,  and  there  are  few  in  the 
world  that  can  see  it. 

To  receive  from  God  we  must  love  the  spiritual  the 
best,  though  we  must  neither  despise  nor  ignore  the 


84  THE  PATHWAY  OF.  EOSES 

material.  All  is  from  God,  and  all  will  minister  to  the 
joy  and  beauty  of  life  when  used  in  harmony  with  a 
life  that  is  lived  in  God.  When  we  live  in  God,  all 
things  will  be  turned  to  good  account,  and  when  we 
work  with  God,  all  things  will  work  together  for 
greater  good. 

The  world  tries  to  get  from  man;  the  perfect  way  is 
to  receive  from  God;  and  the  moment  we  adopt  the 
latter  method,  the  way  will  be  opened.  Spirit  will 
lead;  we  will  know  at  each  step  what  we  are  to  do, 
and  what  step  to  take  next  will  always  be  clear.  Live 
close  to  God  and  have  faith;  no  matter  what  may 
come  or  not,  depend  upon  the  spirit  to  lead  and  pro- 
vide, and  you  will  always  do  what  is  best. 

However,  we  must  never  think  that  it  is  best  for 
anyone  to  live  in  poverty,  trouble  and  pain;  no,  this 
is  never  best,  not  even  for  a  moment.  The  Infinite 
can  provide  something  better  here  and  now,  and  it  is 
His  will  and  good  pleasure  to  do  so. 

When  days  of  darkness  are  at  hand,  cling  to  the 
great  truth,  spirit  will  provide.  Think  of  it  con- 
stantly; live  in  the  very  soul  of  its  presence;  believe 
in  it  from  the  very  depths  of  the  heart.  Things  will 
take  a  turn.  The  door  of  opportunity  will  open.  The 
desired  change  will  come.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
world  that  the  Spirit  cannot  change  for  the  better; 
therefore  we  may  with  perfect  faith  ask  for  any 
change  desired.  The  best  is  intended  for  all  of  us. 
God  is  ever  ready  to  give  everything.  Ask  what  thou 
;wilt  and  I  will  answer  thee. 


To  think  of  thee  and  feel  thy  presence  near. 
To  rise  above  the  world  of  doubt  and  fear, 
To  enter  where  the  many  mansions  be. 
To  hold  communion  face  to  face  with  thee. 

To  find  the  secret  place  where   all  is   still, 

To  feel  thy  joy  and  life  my  being  thrill, 

To  know   that  health  and   wholeness  now   are 

mine, 
To  see  thy  light  within  forever  shine. 

To   feel   the   peace    that   passeth    thought   and 

speech. 

To  know  that  I  the  endless  heights  shall  reach, 
That  I  thy  Son  for  evermore  shall  be. 
These  are  the  sweetest  thoughts  of  life  to  me. 


CHAPTER  IX 

WHEN  LIFE  IS  WORTH  LIVING 

To  establish  permanently  the  living  of  life  in  the 
spiritual  state  of  being  is  the  greatest  need  of  man. 
But  this  is  not  possible  so  long  as  we  live  in  that  con- 
ception of  spirituality  that  forgets  the  body.  The 
body  is  the  temple  of  the  spirit,  and  must  therefore 
receive  just  as  much  thought  and  attention  as  we  give 
to  the  spirit.  To  neglect  the  body  is  to  make  real 
spirituality  impossible,  because  real  spirituality  is  a 
living  thing,  and  must  have  a  highly  developed  per- 
sonality through  which  this  living  may  be  expressed. 
Spirituality  is  not  simply  in  thought,  feeling  or  ab- 
stract contemplation ;  there  is  no  spirituality  without 
the  actual  coming  forth  of  real  soul  life ;  but  the  life 
of  the  soul  does  not  come  forth  into  tangible  personal 
living  unless  the  body  is  trained  to  respond  to  that 
life. 

The  spirituality  that  we  seek  is  that  full  expression 
of  the  soul  that  fills  every  atom  in  the  body  and  gives 
the  sublime  wholeness  of  divinity  to  the  entire  being 
of  man.  To  be  spiritual  is  to  be  complete  in  body, 
mind  and  soul ;  to  live  the  fullness  of  real  life  in  every 

87 


88  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

element  of  life,  and  to  bring  forth  the  truest,  the  best 
and  the  most  beautiful  that  exists  within  us.  To  be- 
come spiritual  is  to  refine  everything,  perfect  every- 
thing, beautify  everything,  and  make  the  ideal  real, 
not  only  in  thought  but  in  every  part  of  physical  life, 
mental  life  and  spiritual  life.  To  grow  in  spirituality 
is  to  continue  perpetually  to  spiritualize  the  body,  as 
well  as  mind  and  soul,  until  the  visible  man  is  as  pure, 
as  strong,  as  wholesome  and  as  beautiful  as  the  high- 
est state  of  divine  existence. 

True  spirituality  will  give  health  and  vigor  to  the 
body,  power  and  brilliancy  to  the  mind,  strength  and 
perfection  to  the  character,  and  sublime  loveliness  to 
the  soul.  The  more  spiritual  you  become  the  more 
beautiful  you  become  in  person,  the  more  refined  you 
become  in  all  the  elements  of  your  nature,  the  more 
powerful  you  become  in  every  thought  and  action, 
and  the  more  comfort,  happiness  and  real  satisfaction 
you  will  receive  from  everything  you  may  do  in  life. 
When  spirituality  is  highly  developed  you  live  con- 
stantly on  the  heights ;  you  see  all  things  as  they  are 
in  the  real ;  you  know  that  you  are  created  in  the  im- 
age and  likeness  of  God;  you  are  in  constant  touch 
with  the  beauty  and  splendor  of  the  cosmic  world,  and 
your  joy  is  supreme.  You  are  living  in  the  light  of 
the  spirit,  and  your  mind  at  times  is  so  illumined  by 
that  light  that  your  understanding  of  higher  wisdom 
becomes  extraordinary.  You  thus  enter  those  lofty 
realms  from  which  all  true  prophets  have  received 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  89 

their  inspiration,  and,  accordingly,  you  become  one  of 
those  who  are  chosen  to  be  taught  of  God. 

To  enter  real  spirituality  is  to  anchor  the  mind  in 
that  very  power  that  holds  and  guides  the  universe; 
and  such  a  mind  is  always  safe.  Such  a  mind  will  not 
go  wrong;  and  even  though  it  be  strongly  tempted, 
it  will  be  removed  from  danger  before  it  is  too  late. 
There  is  something  in  the  higher  world  about  us  that 
can  and  does  protect  the  soul ;  and  those  who  are  fixed 
on  high  in  the  spirit  are  ever  in  the  care  of  this  divine 
protection.  Dangers,  calamities  or  catastrophes  will 
never  touch  them;  they  are  invariably  taken  out 
safely,  no  matter  what  may  happen;  they  are  ever  in 
the  hands  of  God,  and  all  is  always  well. 

This  higher  guiding  power,  however,  does  not  sim- 
ply protect  the  chosen  ones  from  that  which  is  not 
desired;  but  those  who  have  supreme  faith  in  the 
spirit  will  be  led  on  and  on  into  the  larger  and  larger 
realization  of  that  which  is  desired.  The  spirit  con- 
tains all,  and  to  grow  in  the  spirit  is  to  receive  all. 
Not  simply  that  all  that  satisfies  the  demands  of  the 
intellect  or  the  feelings  of  the  soul,  but  that  all  that 
fully  supplies  every  want,  desire  or  need  of  the  whole 
man.  Spirituality  is  the  highest  good  of  all  life 
realized  in  full  living  expression.  In  the  spiritual 
life  there  is  no  need,  neither  is  there  any  false  desire. 
Every  desire  is  true  to  the  great  purpose  of  eternal 
life,  and  every  desire  is  fulfilled.  In  spiritual  life 
every  prayer  is  inspired  by  the  wisdom  of  the  spirit, 


90  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

and  such  prayers  are  always  answered.  Whatever 
God  may  lead  us  to  do  He  will  always  give  us  the 
power  to  do. 

The  spiritual  state  of  being  is  the  great  foundation 
of  all  being,  and  the  source  of  everything  that  comes 
forth  into  perfect  being;  therefore,  the  more  deeply 
we  enter  into  the  life  and  the  power  of  the  spirit  the 
more  fully  conscious  we  become  of  those  greater 
things  that  real  life  has  in  store;  and  whatever  we 
become  conscious  of  we  invariably  bring  forth  into 
tangible  existence.  The  spiritual  life  contains  real 
life,  real  power,  real  wisdom,  real  love,  real  harmony, 
real  health,  real  purity,  real  peace,  real  joy,  and  to 
develop  spirituality  is  to  realize  more  and  more  of  the 
real  of  these  things  until  the  perfection  of  divine 
being  is  unfolded  and  lived  in  the  present  personal 
form.  In  consequence,  when  we  are  in  the  spiritual 
life  we  need  sacrifice  nothing  that  has  real  value, 
while  we  gain  more  and  more  of  everything  that  has 
greater  value.  When  we  begin  to  live  the  spiritual 
life  we  begin  to  feel  that  we  are  now  upon  the  solid 
rock  of  eternal  being,  and  we  feel  absolutely  secure. 
We  realize  that  we  are  in  safety,  in  divinity,  in  the 
protecting  care  of  higher  power.  We  are  becoming 
more  and  more  conscious  of  the  cosmic  atmosphere, 
and  this  gives  added  assurance  of  complete  protec- 
tion, because  this  higher,  sublimated  atmosphere  is  so 
surcharged  with  living  spirit  that  no  ill  from  the 
world  can  possibly  pass  through.  We  are  absolutely 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  91 

out  of  the  ills  of  the  world  when  we  are  in  the  spirit, 
just  as  we  are  absolutely  out  of  darkness  when  we  are 
in  the  light.  And  to  grow  in  the  spirit  the  first  essen- 
tial is  to  take  what  spiritual  life  we  can  now  under- 
stand and  give  that  life  full,  living  expression  in 
every  atom  of  body,  soul  and  mind. 

There  can  be  no  real  spirituality  developed  so  long 
as  we  try  to  make  such  developments  a  matter  of  the 
soul  alone;  mind  and  body  must  be  included  or  our 
efforts  simply  result  in  feelings  and  sentiments  that 
are  neither  wholesome  nor  harmless.  Spirituality  is 
not  a  matter  of  sentiment,  nor  is  it  wholly  concerned 
with  a  future  state  of  existence.  Spirituality  is  a  full 
life  just  for  to-day.  It  is  a  life  that  is  all  that  it  is 
now,  and  those  who  are  in  the  spirit  know  that  the 
time  that  now  is,  is  eternal. 

One  touch  of  the  spirit  and  all  is  well.  Darkness 
and  pain  will  vanish,  sickness  and  sorrow  take  flight; 
weakness  and  bondage  will  pass  away,  and  troubles 
can  exist  no  more.  To  be  touched  by  the  spirit  is  to 
be  filled  through  and  through  with  the  spirit,  and 
where  the  spirit  is  there  evil  is  not.  What  we  have 
seen  in  our  visions  shall  come  to  remain.  What  is  re- 
vealed from  on  high  shall  come  and  abide  with  us  al- 
ways. Therefore  let  the  soul  dream  on.  Disturb  not 
the  peace  of  those  sweet  celestial  slumbers,  for  what 
to  us  may  appear  to  be  spiritual  sleep  is  but  life  in  a 
greater  world.  And  thus  something  from  above 
comes  to  tell  us,  "dream  on,  fair  soul,  dream  on." 


92  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

To  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  is  to  so  live 
that  we  can  always  feel  that  he  is  with  us  no  matter 
what  we  may  think  or  say  or  do.  To  worship  God  is 
to  take  Him  with  us  in  everything,  ask  Him  for  every- 
thing, have  faith  that  He  will  give  us  everything, 
and  be  grateful  to  Him  because  we  inwardly  know 
that  we  are  receiving  every  thing.  To  worship  is  not 
to  believe  and  adore,  but  to  live  and  love ;  not  simply 
to  accept  the  truth  but  to  make  the  truth  the  living 
soul  of  every  thought  and  word  and  deed.  When  we 
worship  God  in  truth,  we  enter  into  His  presence 
knowing  that  He  is  divine  perfection  and  that  we  are 
created  in  His  image  and  likeness.  To  believe  that 
we  are  depraved  beings,  base  sinners  or  imperfect 
human  creatures,  is  not  to  be  in  the  truth,  because  to 
be  in  the  truth  we  are  as  God  is.  Therefore,  while 
we  have  those  beliefs  we  cannot  worship  God  in  truth. 
To  worship  God  in  truth  we  must  enter  the  truth,  and 
to  enter  the  truth  is  to  know  that  man  is  even  now 
the  perfect  image  of  the  Most  High. 

To  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  is  to  forget  the  letter 
and  enter  into  the  spiritual  realization  of  His  omni- 
present life.  When  we  are  in  the  spirit  we  do  not 
worship  with  audible  words  or  visible  attitudes,  but 
with  that  exalted  spiritual  feeling  that  enters  into 
the  very  soul  of  the  Infinite  and  there  awakens  to  the 
great  eternal  truth  that  ''My  Father  and  I  are  one." 
When  we  are  in  the  spirit  we  inwardly  know  that 
"God  is  closer  than  breathing,  nearer  than  hands  and 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  93 

feet,"  and  we  can  feel  that  sublime  nearness  thrill 
every  atom  in  our  being.  We  need  nothing  to  prove  to 
us  that  we  are  one  with  God,  for  we  can  feel  that  it  is 
the  truth.  Nor  do  we  question  any  more  whether  God 
be  personal  or  not.  We  know  that  we  are  with  Him 
and  that  He  is  with  us;  and  that  is  sufficient.  His 
personal  presence  is  more  real  to  us  than  our  own  ex- 
istence ;  we  therefore  need  not  reason  on  that  subject. 
W^e  have  seen  Him  in  the  spirit,  but  that  which  is  in 
the  spirit,  form  cannot  measure,  nor  words  define. 

The  word  of  God  is  the  word  of  truth.  All  truth 
is  Scripture  wherever  found  or  by  whom  presented; 
and  all  Scripture  is  written  when  the  mind  is  in  the 
spirit.  Therefore,  to  understand  the  Scripture  we 
must  enter  the  spirit,  and  read  while  illumined  by  the 
spirit.  We  shall  then  find,  upon  every  page,  "the 
bread  of  heaven,"  "the  waters  of  life,"  "the  meat 
that  ye  know  not  of."  The  key  to  the  Scriptures  is 
not  some  system  of  symbolical  interpretation,  nor 
some  special  method  of  metaphysical  or  spiritual 
analysis.  The  key  is  simply  to  enter  the  spirit  when 
you  begin  to  read.  The  spirit  reveals  everything  that 
is  sacred  and  true. 

To  live  exclusively  in  materiality,  that  is,  in  the 
lower  story  of  being,  is  the  cause  of  all  weakness  and 
weariness.  The  remedy  for  such  conditions  will  there- 
fore be  found  in  spirituality,  which  means  to  live  in 
the  upper  story.  So  long  as  the  mind  is  "high"  in 
the  world  of  consciousness  there  can  be  no  weakness 


94  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

or  weariness  in  the  person.  We  cannot  be  weary 
while  we  are  filled  with  the  strength  of  the  Most 
High,  and  we  are  in  perfect  touch  with  this  great 
strength  while  the  mind  is  living  in  the  "high  places" 
of  the  spirit.  When  we  come  down  to  the  earth, 
earthy  we  lose  this  superior  power  and  become  weak 
as  mere  men;  we  are  limited  in  every  respect  and  have 
to  watch  ourselves  at  every  turn  lest  we  overtax  the 
system.  But  when  we  do  all  things  in  the  realization 
that  we  are  spiritual  beings  filled  with  supreme 
power  from  on  high,  there  is  no  limit  to  what  we  can 
do.  Our  strength  is  eternally  renewed  because  we 
are  waiting  upon  the  Lord ;  we  are  living  with  Him, 
doing  all  things  for  Him,  and  in  return  we  receive 
all  things  from  Him. 

When  the  mind  lives  constantly  in  the  higher  states 
of  being,  more  perfect  oneness  with  the  Infinite  is  at- 
tained. We  come  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  Life  and 
the  Spirit  of  the  Supreme,  and,  in  consequence,  we 
are  supplied  with  new  life  and  power  every  moment. 
We  are  going  into  the  source  of  all  power;  we  are  be- 
ginning to  live  and  move  and  have  our  being  in  the 
very  essence  of  that  power,  and  we  are  becoming 
stronger  by  far  than  all  the  weakness  and  the  weari- 
ness in  the  world.  We  are  no  longer  subject  to  the 
laws  of  material  existence;  what  holds  true  in  the  life 
of  mere  man  does  not  hold  true  for  us  any  more;  we 
have  entered  a  new  life  and  are  ascending  trium- 
phantly to  the  supreme  heights  of  that  life.  The 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  95 

seeming  weakness  of  the  flesh  has  given  place  to  the 
limitless  strength  of  the  Spirit,  for  the  very  moment 
we  begin  to  live  in  the  spirit,  the  power  of  the  spirit 
begins  to  live  in  us,  and  that  which  lives  in  us  lives  in 
every  element  of  the  body  as  well  as  in  every  attri- 
bute of  mind  and  soul. 

Spirituality  is  the  perfect  remedy  for  all  the  ills 
of  life,  and  to  live  the  spiritual  life  is  the  greatest 
thing  that  man  can  do.  Therefore,  to  promote  spirit- 
ual growth  among  all  minds  that  are  ready,  is  of  more 
importance  than  all  other  objects  and  aims  combined. 
Thousands  realize  this,  and,  in  consequence,  are  ever 
in  search  for  methods  through  which  the  life  of  the 
spirit  may  be  found.  Methods,  however,  are  of  sec- 
ondary importance.  When  the  heart  begins  to  feel 
the  need  of  the  spirit,  and  all  the  powers  of  mind 
begin  to  desire  the  spirit,  the  perfect  way  will  be 
opened.  To  promote  spiritual  growth  we  must  live  in 
the  spiritual  center  of  the  divine  that  is  within  us,  but 
that  divine  center  is  not  found  through  methods.  No 
system  of  mental  gymnastics  can  open  the  gates  to  the 
kingdom  within ;  nor  can  any  system  of  logical  reason- 
ing in  abstract  truth  cause  the  mind  to  be  illumined 
with  light  from  on  high.  Spiritual  illumination  does 
not  come  through  a  mere  intellectual  process,  how- 
ever exact;  it  comes  only  when  the  desires  of  the 
heart  are  spiritualized  by  a  power  that  is  infinitely 
greater  than  man. 

To  think  the  truth,  even  with  absolute  exactness. 


96  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

will  not  avail  unless  we  think  in  the  spirit  of  truth. 
The  intellectual  form  of  the  truth  has  no  power;  it 
is  the  inner  spirit  of  the  truth  that  gives  life,  freedom 
and  illumination  to  man.  And  when  we  begin  to 
know  this  inner  spirit  of  the  truth  our  minds  have 
entered  into  the  very  soul  of  the  real.  Then  it  is  that 
we  gain  power  that  to  many  seems  superhuman ;  then 
it  is  that  we  take  full  possession  of  our  own  life  and 
our  own  destiny;  then  it  is  that  we  find  the  faith  that 
moves  mountains,  and  through  the  life  of  this  faith 
we  press  on  and  on  to  the  great  goal  we  have  in  view, 
removing  every  barrier  in  the  way,  overcoming  every 
difficulty,  surmounting  every  obstacle,  rising  higher 
than  ever  before  every  time  we  fall,  transforming 
every  seeming  defeat  into  a  great  and  glorious  vic- 
tory, passing  through  the  fires  of  tribulation  without 
even  a  hair  being  scorched,  and  coming  out  of  every 
trying  experience  with  greater  purity  and  greater 
strength,  realizing  one  ideal  after  another,  ascending 
from  one  pinnacle  of  attainment  to  one  that  is  higher 
still,  finding  answer  after  answer  to  the  prayers  we 
prayed  in  days  gone  by,  until  every  desire  is  fulfilled 
and  every  dream  of  the  soul  made  true. 

There  is  no  reason  whatever  why  anyone  should 
become  discouraged,  or  be  tempted  to  give  up  be- 
cause the  good  things  desired  are  not  realized  when 
expected.  That  which  is  your  own  will  positively 
come  to  you,  and  everything  is  your  own  that  you 
can  use  in  the  building  of  a  greater  and  more  beauti- 


ful  life.  Continue  in  the  faith  that  you  will  now  be- 
gin to  realize  the  fullness  of  life,  and  enter  into  the 
inner  spirit  of  that  faith.  Some  of  the  greatest  things 
in  the  world  have  been  gained  after  many  years  of 
constant  faith  and  prayer— things  that  would  not 
have  been  gained  if  those  who  prayed  had  lived  in 
discouragement  and  doubt.  If  there  is  anything  that 
you  can  use  in  the  building  of  a  great  life,  pray  for 
it  until  you  receive  it  no  matter  how  many  months  or 
years  may  be  required  to  cause  your  prayer  to  come 
true.  Pray  in  the  inner  spirit  of  faith  and  when  the 
time  is  ripe,  be  it  to-morrow  or  twenty  years  from 
now,  your  prayer  will  be  answered. 

When  your  prayers  are  not  answered  at  once,  do 
not  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  not  best  for  you 
to  have  it;  if  that  which  you  pray  for  will  add  to 
the  welfare  of  somebody's  life,  it  is  best  for  you  to 
have  it.  Therefore,  continue  to  pray  for  it  until  you 
receive  it.  It  is  best  that  you  should  have  everything 
that  is  good  and  true  and  beautiful.  All  that  is  good 
is  good  for  man,  and  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man 
should  receive  it.  But  God  gives  us  only  that  which 
we  desire.  We  have  individual  choice,  and  we  must 
express  our  desire  in  the  true  spirit  of  faith.  What 
we  ask  for  will  come  when  our  faith  is  right  and  our 
life  prepared  to  properly  use  the  great  good  desired. 

To  promote  spiritual  growth  the  inner  light  must 
shine  in  the  outer  life,  and  the  inner  world  of  divine 
truth  must  be  expressed  in  every  part  of  mind  and 


98  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

body.  The  expression  of  the  divinity  within  is  ab- 
solutely necessary,  and  must  be  in,  every  direction. 
Thousands  to-day  are  expressing  truth  only  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  health  of  body  and  peace  of  mind, 
and  though  they  are  having  good  results  they  will 
find  ere  long  that  in  trying  to  perfect  only  a  part  of 
the  outer  life  they  have  failed  to  bring  forth  the  whole 
of  the  inner  life.  They  will  also  find  that  the  mar- 
velous powers  of  the  within  have  been  permitted  to 
sleep.  After  some  years  such  minds  will  find  that 
they  have  accomplished  nothing  more  than  being 
well  and  comfortable  physically.  But  this  is  not  all 
that  we  are  living  for.  A  genius  is  asleep  in  the  sub- 
conscious of  every  mind;  a  spiritual  giant  is  within 
us  awaiting  recognition ;  and  in  the  soul  is  the  Christ 
knocking  at  the  door.  These  must  not  be  kept  wait- 
ing age  after  age  while  we  are  only  concerned  with 
being  well  and  happy  on  the  surface.  It  is  not  right 
to  live  a  small  life  no  matter  how  comfortable  that 
life  may  be  when  we  have  received  the  gifts  of  the 
supreme  life  from  on  high. 

The  expression  of  the  spirit  should  be  universal  in 
all  the  actions  of  man.  The  labor  of  the  hands  should 
be  filled  with  the  life  of  the  spirit;  the  work  of  the 
mind  should  be  animated  with  the  one  power  of  spirit, 
and  every  act  of  consciousness  should  feel  the  divine 
presence  of  the  spirit.  There  are  few,  however,  who 
think  of  expressing  divine  spirit  in  every  day  work, 
and  consequently,  the  spiritual  life  becomes  a  thing 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  99 

apart.  But  when  the  personal  life  is  separated  from 
the  spirit,  darkness,  confusion,  sickness  and  trouble 
begin;  existence  becomes  a  burden,  and  though  we 
may  possess  the  wealth  of  the  world,  life  has  nothing 
of  worth  to  give.  There  is  no  joy  in  things  unless  the 
power  of  the  spirit  is  in  the  world  of  things.  There 
is  nothing  to  live  for  unless  we  live  for  the  spirit, 
and  when  we  begin  to  live  for  the  spirit  all  things, 
from  the  least  importance  in  the  physical  realm  to  the 
most  precious  elements  in  the  highest  spiritual  realms 
—all  become  ministering  angels,  adding  eternally  to 
the  worth,  the  beauty  and  the  joy  of  personal  life. 
To  him  who  lives  in  the  spirit,  everything  in  life  has 
much  to  give,  and  to  him,  the  best  alone  is  given. 

When  we  think,  the  mind  should  be  filled  with  the 
spirit,  and  our  intellects  will  become  brilliant  in  the 
true  sense  of  that  term.  When  we  read,  our  eyes 
should  be  filled  with  the  spirit,  and  our  sight  will  ever 
become  stronger  and  better.  When  we  work,  every 
muscle  in  the  body  should  be  filled  with  the  spirit, 
and  we  should  renew  our  strength  from  the  source 
divine.  We  thus  cause  the  outer  life  and  the  inner 
life  to  become  one  life,  and  it  is  such  a  life  that  we 
are  here  to  live  now.  Say  that  life  is  beautiful,  no 
matter  how  things  may  appear  on  the  surface.  Say 
that  you  are  strong  and  well  no  matter  how  the  body 
may  feel.  You  will  thus  speak  the  truth  about  the 
true  state  of  being;  and  what  you  say,  you  create. 
Say  that  you  are  well  and  you  create  health.  Say 


100  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

that  life  is  divinely  beautiful  and  you  create  such  a 
life.  And  what  we  create  today,  we  shall  realize  to- 
morrow. 

There  are  a  number  of  methods  through  which  the 
spiritual  nature  of  man  can  be  developed  and  brought 
into  larger  and  larger  expression,  but  the  majority  of 
those  methods  are  so  complex  that  they  lead  more 
into  intellectuality  than  into  spirituality.  To  develop 
the  mind,  with  its  many  faculties,  complex  methods 
are,  as  a  rule,  necessary,  but  to  develop  the  soul,  the 
simpler  the  methods  are,  the  better.  The  secret  is 
to  keep  the  eye  single  upon  the  sublime  spiritual 
state,  to  form  the  highest  possible  conception  of  the 
most  perfect  spiritual  qualities  imaginable,  and  to 
think  of  those  things.  The  power  of  concentration  is 
truly  extraordinary  whenever  it  may  be  applied,  and 
its  effectiveness  is  nowhere  as  thorough  as  in  the 
world  of  the  spirit.  To  think  constantly  of  things 
spiritual,  with  an  effort  to  enter  more  and  more  into 
the  real  life  of  the  spirit,  is  to  spiritualize  all  the  ele- 
ments of  thought,  all  the  phases  of  consciousness,  and 
all  the  active  states  of  realization.  In  consequence, 
everything  in  human  life  will  become  more  spiritual. 

What  we  think  of  we  create ;  therefore  the  more  we 
think  of  things  spiritual  the  more  spirituality  we 
shall  develop ;  and  when  the  whole  of  thought  is  con- 
centrated constantly  upon  our  highest  spiritual  ideal, 
we  shall  actually  move  into  the  real  spiritual  state. 
There  is  a  spiritual  state  of  consciousness  immedi- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  101 

ately  above  the  usual  conscious  state,  and  it  is  the 
lifting  of  mind  and  thought  up  into  this  higher  state 
that  produces  spirituality;  therefore,  spiritual  devel- 
opment will  necessarily  require  the  ascending  ten- 
dency in  every  action  in  life.  This  requirement,  how- 
ever, is  invariably  supplied,  when  the  power  of  atten- 
tion is  constantly  directed  upon  the  spiritual  state. 
When  we  think  of  that  which  is  spiritual,  everything 
in  life  begins  to  ascend  towards  the  higher  spiritual 
states;  that  is,  when  our  thinking  of  the  spiritual  is 
inspired  with  a  deep  soul  desire  to  rise  and  live  on 
the  heights. 


Live  with  the  beautiful  side  in  human  nature 
and  your  own  life  will  grow  more  and  more 
beautiful  until  you  become  an  inspiration  to  all 
the  world.  Look  for  the  greater  good  in  all 
things  and  you  will  find  Cod  in  all  things.  And 
when  you  find  God  in  all  things  Cod  will  be 
with  you  in  all  things. 

Say  that  life  is  beautiful,  no  matter  how  things 
may  appear  on  the  surface.  Say  that  you  are 
strong  and  well  no  matter  how  the  body  may 
feel.  You  will  thus  speak  the  truth  about  the 
true  state  of  being;  and  what  you  say,  you  create. 
Say  that  you  are  well  and  you  create  health. 
Say  that  life  is  divinely  beautiful  and  you  create 
such  a  life.  And  what  we  create  today,  we  shall 
realize  tomorrow. 

The  pure  in  heart  shall  see  Cod,  and  to  be 
pure  in  heart  is  to  think  pure  thoughts — the 
thought  of  sublime  spiritual  truth.  The  reason 
we  do  not  see  Cod  is  found  in  the  fact  that  we 
have  clouded  our  minds  with  impure  thoughts — 
thought  that  is  out  of  harmony  with  the  divine 
order  of  things.  Pure  water  is  transparent;  the 
same  is  true  of  a  pure  mind.  The  deep  things  of 
Cod  are  easily  discerned  through  a  pure  mind, 
just  as  easily  as  the  rocks  of  the  river  bed  when 
the  water  is  pure  and  still. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  WAY,  THE  TRUTH  AND  THE  LIFE 

Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth, 
and  the  life;  no  one  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by 
me.— John  14:6. 

The  great  statements  of  Jesus  Christ  were  never 
spoken  from  the  personal,  but  always  from  the  im- 
personal. No  truth  ever  sprung  from  the  personal 
mind  because  it  is  only  the  impersonal  that  can  touch 
the  universal,  and  it  is  only  in  the  universal  that  ab- 
solute truth  can  be  found.  When  the  mind  enters 
the  impersonal  state,  consciousness  comes  in  touch 
with  the  cosmic  state  of  being,  and  in  that  state  we 
realize  the  "I  Am"  of  being.  We  discern  what  the 
"I  Am"  actually  is,  and  we  find  that  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  "I  Am"  is  the  open  door  to  the  limitless 
vastness  of  the  spiritual  universe.  "I  am  the  door." 
Enter  through  the  door  of  "I  Am"  and  we  pass  into 
that  immense  world  that  is  found  on  the  upper  side, 
or  the  divine  side  of  sublime  existence. 

The  "I  Am"  in  every  soul  is  the  spirit  of  Christ 
within  us,  and  when  we  become  conscious  of  the 
Christ  within  us  we  can  truthfully  say  that  "the mind 

105 


106  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

that  was  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  same  mind  is  in  me." 
The  mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  knew  the  "I  Am" 
of  eternal  being;  in  brief,  was  the  "I  Am"  of  eternal 
being,  and  therefore  could  say  that  I  am  the  way,  and 
the  truth,  and  the  life.  But  this  same  "I  Am"  is  in 
every  soul  and  constitutes  the  real  "me"  of  every 
soul,  and  a.s  we  grow  in  Christ  we  grow  into  the  real- 
ization! of  that  great  truth  that  we  are  one  with 
Christ,  and  that  the  same  Christ  that  reigned  su- 
premely in  the  personality  of  Jesus  shall  reign  su- 
premely in  us. 

The  Christ  within  us  is  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,  and  is  created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
the  Father.  There  is  only  one  Son  of  God,  but  this 
one  Son  reigns  in  every  soul,  and  constitutes  the  "I 
Am"  in  every  soul.  The  "I  Am"  that  occupies  the 
throne  of  your  spiritual  being  is  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God,  and  as  this  Son  is  like  the  Father  you 
cannot  grow  into  the  likeness  of  the  Father  unless 
you  do  so  through  the  Son.  Nor  can  you  enter  into 
the  presence  of  the  Father  without  going  through  the 
Son,  because  it  is  the  Son  that  unites  the  Father  with 
you. 

The  Son  of  God  is  one  with  God,  therefore  if  you 
wish  to  realize  your  oneness  with  God  you  must  enter 
into  the  life  and  the  spirit  of  the  Son.  In  other  words, 
you  must  become  conscious  of  the  "I  Am"  within  you 
because  it  is  this  "I  Am"  that  is  created  in  the  image 
of  God,  and  we  are  not  one  with  God  unless  we  real- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  107 

ize  that  we  are  created  in  the  image  of  God.  To  be 
one  with  God  is  to  know  that  we  are  in  the  Father 
and  the  Father  in  us,  but  we  cannot  enter  into  that 
consciousness  wherein  we  know  that  we  are  in  the 
Father  until  we  are  conscious  of  our  exact  likeness 
to  the  Father. 

When  Jesus  declared,  I  am  the  way,  he  spoke  in 
the  consciousness  of  the  Christ.  It  was  the  supreme 
"I  Am"  that  made  this  great  statement,  and  this  "I 
Am"  is  the  way.  The  supreme  "I  Am"  is  the  way 
to  everything  that  man  may  need  or  desire  through- 
out eternity,  for  "I  Am"  in  God,  and  in  God  we  find 
the  allness  of  all  that  is.  The  "I  Am"  is  the  way  to 
God,  because  it  is  the  "I  Am"  in  man  that  is  always 
one  with  God.  * '  I  am  the  door, '  *  and  there  is  no  other 
door;  it  is  therefore  evident  that  no  one  eometh  unto 
the  Father  but  by  me. 

To  go  to  God  you  must  go  by  way  of  the  Christ; 
that  is,  you  must  enter  into  the  inner  consciousness  of 
the  Christ  that  reigns  within  us;  you  must  enter  so 
deeply  into  the  spirit  of  your  own  sublime  being  that 
you  can  readily  realize  that  "I  Am,"  and  know  that 
"I  Am"  is  not  distinct  from  you  but  is  the  real  and 
the  eternal  of  you.  "Where  I  am  there  ye  shall  be 
also."  You  shall  some  day  enter  that  same  exalted 
state  where  your  consciousness  of  the  "I  Am"  will 
be  so  perfect  that  you  will  know  that  you  are  "I 
Am."  Then  the  supreme  "I  Am"  will  speak  in  you 


108  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

as  lie  did  in  Jesus  and  will  in  like  manner  declare  in 
you,  "I  am  the  way." 

When  we  find  the  spirit  of  Christ  within  us  we  find 
the  way;  we  then  enter  the  path,  the  path  that  leads 
to  the  fullness  of  life  and  the  perfection  of  being.  To 
daily  ascend  higher  and  higher  in  the  consciousness 
of  this  spirit  of  the  Christ  is  to  follow  the  Christ,  and 
to  follow  the  Christ  is  to  enter  the  Kingdom. 

The  "I  Am"  is  the  truth  because  all  truth  has  its 
source  in  the  divine  being  of  man.  That  the  real  man 
is  created  in  the  image  of  God  is  the  one  supreme 
truth,  and  the  real  man  is  the  "I  Am."  To  know  the 
truth  is  to  enter  into  the  life  and  the  spirit  of  the  "I 
Am"  within;  that  is,  the  Christ  within,  and  to  enter 
into  the  Christ  is  to  enter  into  freedom  because  there 
can  be  no  bondage  or  ill  whatever  in  Him.  This  is 
how  we  gain  freedom  when  we  know  the  truth;  not 
by  forming  intellectual  concepts  about  truth,  but  by 
entering  consciously  into  the  spirit  of  the  Christ 
within  which  is  the  truth. 

To  enter  into  the  Christ  consciousness  is  to  become 
conscious  of  the  real  being  of  the  Christ,  and  the  real 
being  of  the  Christ  is  identical  with  the  real  being  of 
man.  To  become  conscious  of  the  real  being  of  man 
is  to  know  the  truth  concerning  man,  and  when  we 
know  this  truth  we  know  that  man  is  divine  because 
man,  in  his  eternal  nature,  is  identical  with  the  nature 
of  the  Christ.  When  we  know  that  we  are  created  in 
the  likeness  of  truth  we  know  that  we  are  truth,  and 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES          109 

we  can  say,  when  speaking  from  the  Christ  conscious- 
ness, into  which  we  have  entered,  * '  I  am  the  truth. ' ' 
And  when  we  know  that  we  are  truth  we  are  con- 
scious only  of  that  which  is  truth.  We  cannot  be  out 
of  the  truth  when  we  are  in  truth,  and  as  there  can 
be  no  ill  or  bondage  in  the  truth  we  must  necessarily 
be  in  absolute  freedom  while  we  are  consciously  in 

the  truth. 

\ 

The  "I  Am"  is  the  life;  all  life  comes  from  God, 
and  the  life  that  is  in  us  is  the  life  of  the  only  begot- 
ten of  God.  The  life  eternal  is  the  life  of  God  in  us, 
and  it  is  the  "I  Am"  in  us  that  lives  the  life  of  God 
in  us.  To  gain  the  life  more  abundant  it  is  therefore 
necessary  to  enter  more  and  more  deeply  into  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  "I  Am"  within.  In  brief,  the  more 
fully  we  realize  the  "I  Am"  or  the  Christ  within  us 
the  more  we  live,  and  when  we  enter  so  perfectly  into 
the  Christ  consciousness  that  we  actually  know  that 
the  real  in  us  is  identical  with  the  "I  Am"  in  us,  then 
we  begin  to  live  the  life  eternal ;  then  we  actually  en- 
ter eternity  while  still  in  personal  form;  then  we 
know  with  positive  conviction  that  we  are  immortal, 
and  we  need  no  further  evidence  for  any  other  source 
whatever. 

When  we  learn  that  "I  am  the  door,"  and  seek 
this  door  in  the  spiritual  life  within  us,  we  shall  find 
it;  and  aa  we  pass  through  this  door  we  enter  the 
other  side  of  life,  the  divine  side,  the  eternal  side. 
There  we  find  the  kingdom  of  God  that  is  within  us, 


110  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

and  beyond  is  the  shining  shore.  But  we  are  not  re- 
quired to  leave  the  personal  f orm  and  the  physical  life 
in  order  to  live  on  the  other  side  of  life.  True  being  is 
to  live  on  the  spiritual  side  of  life  and  to  manifest 
the  perfection  of  spiritual  being  in  the  personal  side 
of  life.  Thus  the  Word  becomes  flesh  and  the  glory 
of  God  is  made  visible  in  man. 


For  narrow  is  the  gate,  and  straightened  the 
Way,  that  leadeth  unto  life.  And  those  alone 
who  are  in  the  spirit  can  find  it.  Follow  the 
light  of  the  spirit  in  all  things,  choose  the  living 
Christ  as  the  pattern  in  all  things,  and  depend 
upon  Cod  in  all  things.  Do  not  seek  the  truth; 
seek  the  spirit  of  truth.  The  spirit  leads  into  all 
truth.  To  know  the  truth  is  to  know  the  way. 
To  be  guided  by  the  spirit  into  all  truth  is  to 
Walk  in  the  light  of  the  spirit  all  the  Way,  and 
the  Way  of  light  leads  into  the  kingdom  of  eternal 
life.  Follow  the  words  of  the  Christ  until  the 
spirit  is  found;  then  follow  the  spirit  into  the 
greater  life  of  the  Christ.  Keep  the  eye  single 
upon  that  light  that  is  revealed  through  the  spirit- 
ual vision  of  the  soul.  Where  that  light  is  shin- 
ing there  is  the  gate;  beyond  is  the  Way  that 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  all  who  are  in  the  spirit 
shall  find  it  even  now. 


TO  KNOW  AND  THINK  THE  TEUTH 

To  mentally  live  in  the  spiritual  understanding  of 
truth,  and  to  give  constant  expression,  in  thought, 
to  the  words  of  truth,  is  to  train  the  mind  to  know 
the  truth  in  a  larger  and  larger  measure;  and  to 
know  the  truth  is  to  create  and  express  true  condi- 
tions, throughout  the  entire  personality. 

A  statement  of  truth  is  the  absolute  truth  expressed 
in  words;  that  is,  the  mental  or  verbal  expression  of 
a  certain  state  of  perfect  and  divine  being.  There- 
fore, a  statement  of  truth  does  not  describe  things 
as  they  are  in  the  external,  but  describes  man  as  he 
is  in  the  spirit;  and  when  the  mind  begins  to  think 
of  man  as  he  is  in  the  spirit,  the  perfect  qualities  of 
the  spirit  will  be  unfolded  and  brought  out  into  the 
personal  life. 

The  life  of  the  spirit  is  the  true  life  of  man  because 
man  is  a  spiritual  being;  the  soul  is  the  real  man; 
the  mind  and  the  body  are  merely  instruments.  For 
this  reason  it  is  evident  that  when  man  thinks  of  him- 
self he  must  necessarily  think  of  himself  as  he  is  in 
the  spirit.  The  conditions  of  the  body  do  not  describe 

113 


114  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

the  divine  state  of  the  soul ;  the  soul  is  real,  absolute, 
divine,  perfect,  complete,  created  in  the  image  of 
God,  while  the  personality  is  but  a  partial  expression 
of  the  real,  in  many  respects  incomplete,  and  in  a 
state  of  development. 

When  man  thinks  that  the  incomplete  conditions 
of  his  personality  constitute  himself  he  is  not  think- 
ing the  truth  about  himself;  his  thought  is  false,  and 
false  thinking  produces  false  or  detrimental  condi- 
tions in  mind  and  body. 

However,  when  he  thinks  of  himself  as  he  is  in  the 
divine  perfection  of  his  being,  he  is  thinking  the 
truth  about  himself;  his  thought  is  the  truth,  and 
the  thinking  of  truth  produces  true  or  wholesome 
conditions  in  mind  and  body.  Therefore,  so  long  as 
man  thinks  of  himself  as  being  an  imperfect  personal- 
ity he  will  cause  his  personality  to  be  imperfect, 
weak,  sickly  and  more  or  less  in  disorder;  but  when 
he  constantly  thinks  of  himself  as  he  is  in  the  perfect, 
wholesome,  divine  state  of  his  real  spiritual  being, 
he  will  cause  his  personality  to  be  wholesome,  health- 
ful, harmonious  and  in  the  most  perfect  state  of 
order. 

The  truth  gives  freedom.  To  know  the  truth  is 
to  live  in  the  perfect  world  of  truth.  When  the  mind 
discerns  truth,  all  thought  is  created  in  the  likeness 
of  truth ;  all  thought  is  truth ;  and  man  is  as  he  thinks. 
To  think  the  truth  is  to  create  that  which  is  true,  and 
when  the  true  comes  into  being  the  false  ceases  to  be. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  115 

There  can  be  no  darkness  in  the  light;  there  can 
be  no  false  conditions  in  the  truth;  therefore,  when 
man  is  in  the  truth,  the  wholeness  and  the*  perfection 
of  the  truth  will  pervade  his  entire  being  through  and 
through.  Every  part  will  be  true  to  the  truth,  and 
every  element  will  express  the  divinity  of  man. 

When  the  niind  thinks  the  truth,  every  mental  con- 
ception of  true  being  will  formulate  itself  in  a  state- 
ment of  truth;  these  statements  will  convey  to  man's 
intelligence  the  higher  understanding  of  all  that  is. 
The  mind  will  learn  to  see  all  things  as  they  are  in 
truth;  the  divine  perfection  of  all  things  will  be 
realized;  all  thought  will  contain  the  spirit  of  truth, 
and  man,  himself,  will  be  the  truth  in  every  fibre  of 
his  being.  Therefore,  every  mind  should  think  state- 
ments of  truth  as  frequently  as  possible,  and  with 
the  deepest  conviction  possible. 

The  conditions  of  the  personality  are  the  direct 
effects  of  the  states  of  the  mind ;  therefore,  the  condi- 
tions of  the  personality  will  always  be  true,  good  and 
perfect  so  long  as  the  states  of  the  mind  are  true ;  and 
the  states  of  the  mind  will  always  be  true  so  long  as 
the  mind  thinks  the  truth— thinks  the  truth  about 
man  as  he  is  in  the  divine  perfection  of  his  real 
spiritual  being. 

To  train  the  mind  to  think  the  real  truth  about  man, 
statements  of  truth,  of  every  possible  description, 
should  be  employed  extensively.  In  brief,  the  mind 
should  be  daily  drilled,  in  the  thinking  of  absolute 


116 


truth;  that  is,  the  mental  or  verbal  expression  of 
statements  of  truth;  and  to  enter  into  the  spiritual 
understanding  of  the  real  significance  of  every  state- 
ment should  be  the  central  purpose  in  view. 

The  mere  mechanical  repetition  of  such  statements 
will  not  avail ;  the  real  truth  of  each  statement  is  dis- 
cerned only  when  the  mind  enters  into  the  very  soul 
of  the  statement;  and  it  is  the  real  truth  that  we 
wish  to  know,  because  it  is  the  knowing  of  real  truth 
that  alone  makes  for  freedom  in  life  and  that  pro- 
duces the  fullness  of  life.  To  train  the  mind  to  think 
the  real  truth,  the  following  statements  of  truth  may 
be  employed,  though  the  wording  may  be  changed 
to  correspond  with  the  state  of  each  individual  need, 
or  the  degree  of  conscious  development  in  the 
spiritual  life. 

The  perfection  of  my  being  is  now  realized  in  the 
spiritual  understanding  of  truth 

The  understanding  of  truth  reveals  to  the  mind  the 
divine  perfection  of  all  being,  and  the  more  spiritual 
this  understanding  is  the  more  clearly  can  the  divin- 
ity of  man  be  discerned.  Spirituality  illumines,  be- 
cause to  be  spiritual  is  to  live  in  the  supreme  light 
of  the  spirit.  In  the  spirit  there  is  no  darkness, 
therefore,  in  the  spirit  all  things  can  be  seen  as  they 
are,  and  to  see  all  things  as  they  are  is  to  see  that  all 
things  are  created  in  the  likeness  of  God.  The  reali- 
zation of  the  great  truth  that  being  is  perfect,  created 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  117 

in  the  image  of  God,  will  cause  this  perfection  to  be 
expressed.  What  we  realize  in  the  spirit  will  be  ex- 
pressed in  the  person.  Therefore,  when  the  real  truth 
of  this  statement  is  understood,  the  personal  life  will 
be  a  manifestation  of  the  spiritual  life,  and  all  will  be 
well  in  body,  mind  and  soul. 

God  is  love,  and  in  Him  I  live  and  move  and  have  my 

being 

To  live  the  true  spiritual  life— the  life  of  complete 
emancipation  and  high  spiritual  attainment,  it  is 
necessary  to  love  all  things  with  the  pure,  limitless 
love  of  the  soul,  but  such  a  love  cannot  be  realized 
so  long  as  consciousness  is  personal  only.  It  is  when 
we  feel  that  we  live  in  the  love  of  God  that  we  gain 
consciousness  of  that  love  that  loves  all  things  at  all 
times,  and  we  shall  invariably  feel  that  we  do  live  in 
the  love  of  God  when  we  know  the  real  truth  of  the 
statement  that  God  is  boundless  love,  and  that  we 
have  our  being  in  Him.  To  realize  that  we  live  in 
God  is  to  feel  His  presence,  and  when  we  do  feel  His 
presence  we  become  absolutely  filled  with  a  love  that 
is  so  tender,  so  beautiful,  so  high  and  so  sublime,  that 
we  are  placed  completely  at  one  with  all  the  universe. 
We  immediately  transcend,  and  eliminate  entirely, 
every  adverse  feeling;  we  are  at  peace  with  every- 
thing and  that  peace  is  animated  with  the  spirit  of 
that  love  that  cannot  be  measured.  To  live  in  such 


118  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

a  love  is  supreme  joy,  and  it  is  the  privilege  of  every 
soul  now. 

I  aon  fixed  on  high  in  the  spirit  of  truth 

The  I  Am  of  every  soul  can  truthfully  make  this 
statement,  for  real  being  is  permanently  established 
in  the  true  life  of  the  spirit,  and  as  every  individual 
is  the  I  Am  of  his  own  being,  every  individual,  to 
speak  the  truth,  must  make  this  statement  about  him- 
self. To  realize  the  truth  of  this  statement  is  to  enter 
more  and  more  into  the  fixed  state  of  true  being,  and 
to  grow  in  the  realization  of  this  state  is  to  gain  that 
absolute  safety  and  security  where  the  soul  finds  com- 
plete divine  protection.  To  be  in  the  spirit  of  truth 
is  to  be  in  the  very  life  of  true  existence,  and  to  be 
fixed  in  this  life  is  to  occupy  a  permanent  place  in 
God's  own  beautiful  world.  In  other  words,  to  be 
fixed  in  the  spirit  of  truth,  is  to  be  anchored  in  God, 
and  we  can  readily  realize  how  absolutely  secure  such 
a  state  of  being  must  be.  When  we  make  this  state- 
ment we  should  try  to  realize  what  existence  in  the 
truth  must  necessarily  mean,  how  it  must  feel  to  be 
in  the  consciousness  of  the  spirit  of  such  an  existence, 
and  what  a  life  must  hold  in  store  that  is  permanently 
established  on  the  very  heights  of  that  existence. 
The  more  fully  we  enter  into  the  soul  of  the  truth 
that  this  statement  conveys,  the  sooner  we  shall  real- 
ize the  truth  itself;  and  when  we  do,  we  shall  know 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  119 

that  we  are  fixed  on  high,  permanently  established  in 
the  spirit  of  truth,  forever  anchored  in  God. 

My  spiritual  being  is  the  expression  of  eternal  life 

The  life  eternal  is  the  whole  of  real,  absolute,  limit- 
less life,  and  the  real,  spiritual  man  is  this  life  indi- 
vidualized and  expressed.  The  life  eternal  contains 
the  whole  complete  existence;  therefore,  to  live  the 
life  eternal  is  to  live  all  that  there  is  in  absolute 
existence.  It  is  the  life  eternal  that  the  soul  lives, 
and  since  man  is  the  soul,  he  should  affirm  that  he  is 
living  the  life  eternal  now,  and  that  his  true  being  is 
the  perfect  expression  of  that  life.  The  life  eternal 
is  the  life  of  the  divinity  that  is  in  man,  and  the  true 
being  of  man  constitutes  that  divinity ;  but  we  mani- 
fest in  personal  life  only  that  which  we  become  con- 
scious of,  therefore  the  mind  must  be  unfolded  to 
realize  the  true  nature  of  the  life  eternal  before  we 
can  enter  into  life  now.  To  unfold  the  mind  into  this 
conscious  realization,  all  thinking  should  be  animated 
with  the  highest  spiritual  conception  of  the  life 
eternal  that  we  can  possibly  form,  and  the  great  truth 
that  the  true  spiritual  being  of  man  is  the  perfect  ex- 
pression of  that  life,  should  be  held  before  the  mental 
vision  constantly.  In  addition,  every  effort  we  make 
to  live  the  life,  that  is,  to  live  in  the  soul  of  real  life, 
will  cause  this  statement,  not  only  to  seem  true  in 
the  ideal,  but  to  prove  itself  to  be  true  in  the  actual. 


120  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

I  am  ever  ascending  into  the  greater  and  greater  free- 

dom  of  God 

God  is  absolute  freedom,  and  man  is  eternally  be- 
coming what  God  is.  To  realize  this  truth  is  to  place 
life  in  that  position  where  personal  existence  will,  at 
every  step  in  human  advancement,  be  in  full  posses- 
sion of  that  measure  of  freedom  that  present  con- 
sciousness can  possibly  involve.  This  means  that  the 
life  of  every  moment  will  be  absolutely  free,  and  that 
the  measure  of  freedom  will  increase  in  perfect  har- 
mony with  the  increase  of  the  mind's  capacity  for 
freedom.  The  real  man  is  ever  in  possession  of  all 
the  freedom  that  present  development  can  compre- 
hend and  employ,  and  is  ever  ascending  into  the 
greater  freedom  of  God;  therefore,  to  enter  into  the 
realization  of  this  truth  is  to  keep  the  eye  upon  the 
supreme  freedom,  to  steadily  rise  into  more  and  more 
of  that  freedom,  and  this  is  the  true  path  to  complete 
emancipation.  When  we  steadily  grow  into  the  free- 
dom of  God,  we  must  necessarily  grow  out  of  every- 
thing that  is  limited,  undesirable  or  adverse.  The 
lesser  passes  away  as  we  pass  upward  and  onward 
into  the  ever  expanding  world  of  the  greater. 

God  is  health  and  wholeness,  and  I  am  his  image  and 

likeness 

There  can  be  no  sickness  in  God ;  for  the  same  rea- 
son there  can  be  no  sickness  in  the  real  being  of  man; 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  121 

and  as  each  individual  is  what  he  is  in  his  own  real 
being,  he  must  necessarily  be  well  at  all  times.  The 
real  man  cannot  possibly  be  sick  any  more  than  light 
can  be  darkness,  because  he  is  as  God  is;  therefore 
no  man  can  truthfully  say,  at  any  time,  that  he  is 
sick,  weak  or  disabled.  He  cannot  be  any  of  these 
things,  no  matter  what  personal  conditions  may  seem 
to  be.  The  real  man  is  always  well,  and  I  am  the 
real  man.  I  am  not  the  body,  nor  the  instrument,  nor 
the  garment.  I  am  the  I  Am,  the  image  of  God,  the 
exact  likeness  of  the  Most  High.  When  adverse  con- 
ditions appear  in  the  personality,  there  are  personal 
causes,  either  physical  or  mental,  but  these  condi- 
tions can  never  enter  the  life  of  the  real  spiritual 
man.  The  real  man  continues  to  be  well  and  strong 
at  all  times,  and  the  life  of  the  real  man  is  perpetu- 
ally a  life  of  perfect  health  and  wholeness.  To  live 
constantly  in  the  conscious  realization  of  the  life  of 
the  real  man  is  to  always  feel  well,  in  body,  mind  and 
soul.  There  can  be  no  sickness  in  the  body  so  long 
as  we  live  in  the  life  of  health,  and  we  do  live  in  the 
life  of  health  so  long  as  we  continue  in  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  great  truth  that  God  is  health,  and  that 
we  are  as  He  is.  Those  adverse  conditions  that  may 
exist  in  the  body  now  will  entirely  disappear  the  mo- 
ment we  enter  into  the  realization  of  real  life,  and 
begin  to  live  in  the  spirit  of  the  truth  that  we  are  as 
God  is— perfect  and  whole,  now  and  forever. 


122  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

My  Father  and  I  are  one 

The  mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  same  mind 
is  in  you,  and  this  mind  knows  that  My  Father  and  I 
are  One.  When  we  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  divine 
mind  we  realize  that  there  is  no  separation  whatever 
in  the  spirit.  The  spirit  of  the  human  soul  is  abso- 
lutely one  with  the  spirit  of  the  Infinite.  There  is  no 
difference  whatever  in  divine  essence  or  soul  life ;  only 
the  Infinite  is  God  while  the  human  soul  is  an  expres- 
sion of  God,  the  son  of  God,  the  only  begotten  of  God. 

When  we  enter  into  the  very  presence  of  God,  we 
know  that  no  separation  can  exist  in  the  spirit,  and 
we  also  learn  that  the  Christ  consciousness  implies 
the  highest  consciousness  of  this  divine  oneness.  The 
mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  is  conscious  of  the 
spiritual  oneness  that  exists  between  God  and  man, 
and  we  enter  into  that  mind  whenever  we  feel  that 
we  are  in  the  presence  of  God. 

To  realize  that  we  are  one  with  God,  in  spirit  and 
in  truth,  is  to  realize  that  we  are  also  one  with  the 
life,  the  divinity  and  the  perfection  of  God;  and 
therefore  we  are  as  God  is;  what  is  in  God  is  in  us; 
we  live  the  same  life  that  He  lives,  and  since  there 
can  be  no  imperfection  in  His  life,  there  can  be  no 
imperfection  in  our  life. 

The  spiritual  life  of  man  is  perfect,  and  when  man 
enters  fully  into  the  consciousness  of  his  spiritual 
life,  his  personal  life  will  become  the  exact  expression 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  123 

of  His  spiritual  life.  Then  the  Word  will  become 
flesh,  and  no  ill  can  exist  in  the  body  any  more.  Nor 
can  the  untruth  any  longer  exist  in  the  mind. 

To  grow  in  the  Christ  consciousness  is  to  grow  in 
the  consciousness  of  the  spiritual  life,  and  as  the 
light  of  the  spiritual  life  becomes  stronger  and 
stronger  in  mind,  these  elements  of  darkness,  sick- 
ness, adverseness  or  imperfection  that  may  remain 
in  personal  existence  will  entirely  disappear.  Then 
we  shall  realize  the  emancipated  life,  the  freedom 
that  comes  from  the  knowing  of  the  truth. 

God  is  my  strength.    I  am  strong  with  His  limitless 
life  and  power 

To  dwell  perpetually  in  the  conviction  that  the 
strength  of  the  Infinite  is  our  strength,  is  to  steadily 
grow  in  the  conscious  realization  of  power,  and  the 
more  power  we  become  conscious  of  the  more  power 
we  possess.  To  think  of  weakness  in  any  sense  of  the 
term  becomes  impossible  when  we  know  that  the 
limitless  power  of  the  Infinite  is  just  as  much  ours  as 
it  is  His.  All  that  the  Father  hath  is  mine.  And 
when  we  cease  to  think  of  weakness  we  shall  never 
again  be  conscious  of  weakness. 

To  think  of  truth  we  can  never  admit  that  we  are 
weak;  we  cannot  even  admit  that  it  is  possible  for 
us  to  become  weak.  When  we  feel  weak  we  are 
simply  permitting  ourselves  to  be  untrue  to  our- 
selves; we  ignore  the  reality  of  our  own  being  and 


124  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

\ 

cause  the  mind  to  create  conditions  in  our  system 
that  are  false.  Thus  evil  begins.  But  so  long  as  we 
cause  the  mind  to  be  fixed  in  that  great  truth  that 
God  is  our  strength,  we  shall  not  be  conscious  of  any- 
thing that  is  not  strength;  nor  will  the  mind  create 
any  condition  that  is  not  true  to  the  truth. 

When  we  realize  that  the  strength  of  the  Infinite 
is  our  strength,  and  that  the  strength  of  the  Infinite 
is  limitless,  we  must  come  to  the  conclusion  that  we 
are  capable  of  doing  anything  that  the  living  of  a 
great  life  may  demand.  Whatever  we  are  called 
upon  to  do,  we  are  equal  to  it,  because,  have  we  not 
the  power  of  the  Supreme  with  which  to  work  7 

In  the  light  of  this  truth  we  can  never  say  that  we 
are  unable  to  do  what  the  hour  may  require ;  nor  can 
we  say  truthfully  that  we  are  ever  tired,  wearied  or 
overcome.  Such  thoughts  do  not  belong  to  the  truth. 
While  we  are  in  the  truth  there  is  nothing  that  can 
make  us  tired ;  nor  is  there  anything  that  is  too  much 
for  us.  God  is  our  strength,  and  the  power  of  Him 
that  is  within  us  is  greater  than  anything  in  the 
world. 

Though  the  flesh  may  seem  to  be  weak,  it  seems  so 
only  because  we  have  not  fully  accepted  what  is  truly 
our  own,  the  strength  of  the  Infinite.  But  when  we 
do  accept  this  strength,  the  power  of  the  spirit  will 
manifest  in  the  flesh ;  we  shall  then  be  strong,  through 
and  through,  with  power  from  on  high.  Every  part 
of  body,  mind  and  soul  will  live  with  limitless  life, 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  125 

because  God  lives  with  limitless  life,  and  all  that  the 
Father  hath  is  mine. 

My  being  is  sustained  in  the  Word  of  Truth 

The  word  of  truth  is  the  coming  forth  of  truth  into 
life;  it  is  truth  taking  shape  and  form  in  the  world 
of  being,  and  to  be  sustained  in  the  word  of  truth  is 
to  so  live  that  everything  in  life  is  shaped,  formed 
and  determined  by  the  power  of  truth. 

To  think  frequently  of  the  great  statement  that  we 
are  sustained  in  the  shaping  and  forming  power  of 
truth  is  to  place  the  mind  more  and  more  perfectly 
in  harmony  with  that  power;  in  consequence,  the 
mind  will  be  shaped  more  and  more  in  the  exact  like- 
ness of  truth. 

When  the  mind  assumes  the  form  of  truth,  every 
action  of  the  mind  becomes  an  expression  of  truth; 
the  mind  itself  becomes  a  true  mind  and  all  think- 
ing will  convey  the  elements  of  truth  to  every  part 
of  the  being  of  man.  When  the  mind  is  formed  by 
the  truth,  only  true  conditions  will  be  formed  by  the 
mind;  and  therefore,  neither  sickness,  inharmony, 
weakness,  adversity,  pain  nor  want  can  possibly  exist 
anywhere  in  the  human  system. 

To  feel  that  we  are  sustained  in  the  word  of  truth 
is  to  produce  that  deep  realization  of  the  power  of 
truth  that  is  so  conducive  to  the  full  understanding 
of  truth;  and  as  we  grow  in  the  understanding  of 


126  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

truth  we  grow  into  the  freedom  that  is  produced  by 
the  truth. 

The  word  of  truth  is  the  living  truth;  that  is,  the 
power  of  truth  expressed  in  tangible  action;  and  is 
therefore  distinct  from  abstract  truth,  or  the  mere  in- 
tellectual conception  of  truth.  The  intellectual  aspect 
of  truth  does  not  sustain  the  true  life  because  it  has 
not  become  the  word,  or  the  power  of  true  formation. 
But  the  realization  of  the  world  of  truth  takes  life 
into  what  may  be  termed  truth  in  action;  and  when 
we  are  in  the  truth  in  action  we  are  acting  in  the 
truth. 

To  act,  live  or  think  in  the  truth  is  to  give  the  sus- 
taining power  of  truth  to  every  action,  and  thus  every 
action  will  not  only  be  a  true  action,  but  it  will  con- 
tain the  limitless  power  of  truth.  This  is  why  no  true 
action  can  fail,  and  also  why  no  ill  can  possibly  come 
to  any  human  personality  that  lives  in  the  word  of 
truth,  and  that  is  consciously  resolved  into  the  pure 
spiritual  essence  of  truth. 

When  the  human  system  is  sustained  in  the  word 
of  truth,  every  part  of  the  system  is  fixed  on  high; 
that  is,  placed  within  that  true  state  of  being  where 
everything  is  created  in  the  image  of  God,  and  where 
everything  is  always  well.  In  this  state  the  good 
alone  exists;  everything  has  freedom  because  it 
is  in  the  world  of  absolute  freedom,  and  there- 
fore everything  will  do  what  divine  purpose  planned 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  127 

that  it  should  do.  This  is  the  true  meaning  of  free- 
dom, and  it  is  such  freedom  alone  that  can  give  to 
every  soul  what  the  largest  life  and  the  greatest  joy 
may  need  or  desire. 


"But  let  your  speech  be  yea,  yea;  nay,  nay." 
Every  statement  we  make  should  either  affirm 
that  which  is  true  or  deny  that  which  is  not  true. 
Statements  that  contain  both  the  elements  of 
truth  and  the  elements  of  untruth  are  of  the  evil 
one;  they  confuse  the  mind,  and  lead  to  sin,  sick- 
ness  and  death.  Make  no  compromise  with  the 
untruth,  and  let  no  half-truth  find  expression  in 
your  life.  Give  positive  expression,  in  thought, 
word,  action  and  life,  to  that  which  you  know 
to  be  real,  and  eliminate  completely  what  you 
know  to  be  unreal.  Make  your  life  a  living 
affirmation  of  the  great  things  that  are  before, 
and  so  live  that  everything  you  do  will  deny  the 
lesser  things  that  are  passing  away. 

Spiritual  consciousness  is  in  the  light  of  the 
truth,  and  can  always  see  the  truth  clearly.  To 
see  the  truth  clearly  is  to  know  the  truth,  and  to 
know  the  truth  is  to  be  free. 

The  spiritual  understanding  of  truth  is  the 
direct  consequence  of  the  mind's  insight  into  that 
realm  where  everything  is  what  it  is;  where 
nothing  can  be  added  and  nothing  taken  away. 

When  you  inwardly  feel  what  you  say,  you 
give  spiritual  power  to  your  words;  and  what 
you  say  will  surely  come  to  pass. 


CHAPTER  XH 

FINDING  THE  LOST  WOKD 

IHumined  minds  in  every  age  have  declared  their 
belief  in  what  may  be  termed  the  sacred  word;  or  that 
formulated  statement  of  truth  through  which  un- 
bounded power  could  be  expressed.  According  to 
this  belief,  anyone  who  knew  this  secret  word  or 
statement,  could,  by  the  use  of  that  word,  secure  any- 
thing he  might  desire.  Through  this  word  the  sick 
could  be  healed,  adversity  overcome,  calamities  pre- 
vented, enemies  turned  into  friends,  earnest  desires 
realized,  life  prolonged,  and  everything  gained  that 
would  tend  to  promote  the  comfort  and  joy  of  exist- 
ence ;  and  those  who  were  high  in  the  scale  of  spirit- 
ual attainments,  could,  with  this  word,  perform 
miracles.  This  was  the  belief,  and  this  is  still  the 
belief  among  nearly  all  who  recognize  divine  power 
in  man.  But  what  this  word  really  is,  is  a  mystery  in 
the  minds  of  the  many,  and  therefore  it  is  usually 
called  the  lost  word. 

The  great  word  is  not  a  word,  as  many  suppose, 
nor  a  definite  statement  of  truth.  The  great  word  is 
the  soul  of  every  word,  the  spirit  of  every  thought 

131 


132 


and  the  inner  power  of  every  expressed  statement. 
In  the  minds  of  the  great  majority  it  is  a  lost  word, 
because  their  speech  does  not  have  soul,  their  thought 
does  not  have  spirit,  and  their  statements  of  truth,  or 
untruth,  are  devoid  of  inner  power.  But  those  who 
are  learning  to  live,  think  and  act,  not  as  material 
personalities,  but  as  Sons  of  God,  are  finding  the 
great  word ;  they  are  beginning  to  speak  with  author- 
ity, and  there  is  hidden  power  in  everything  they 
say.  What  they  say  will  come  true,  does  come  true ; 
what  they  think  they  can  do  they  gain  the  power  to 
do^  and  their  work  invariably  contains  some  excep- 
tional quality  that  the  ordinary  mind  cannot  define. 
The  spiritually  minded,  however,  can  understand; 
they  know  the  secret ;  they  realize  that  the  great  word 
is  the  supreme  power  of  divine  being  coming  forth 
into  the  speech,  the  thought  and  the  actions  of  the 
fully  awakened  soul.  And  if  these  minds  will  con- 
tinue to  enter  more  and  more  deeply  into  the  spirit 
of  this  supreme  power  they  will  find  that  the  great 
word  can  do  everything  that  the  ages  have  declared 
that  it  could  do.  Thousands  to-day  do,  at  times,  use 
this  secret  word;  that  is,  they  give  soul  to  what  they 
say,  and  they  give  spirit  to  what  they  think;  in  con- 
sequence, their  words  carry  weight  and  their 
thoughts  have  extraordinary  power.  But  they  do 
not,  as  a  rule,  understand  how  the  power  of  the  soul 
is  given  to  word  and  thought,  and  therefore  do  not 
secure  results  whenever  they  may  so  desire.  The 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  133 

secret,  however,  is  simple,  so  simple  that  it  can  be 
comprehended  and  applied  by  anyone. 

To  begin,  train  yourself  to  feel  inner  power  when- 
ever you  give  expression  to  a  statement  of  truth ;  and 
whenever  you  think  enter  into  the  spirit  of  your 
thought.  When  you  speak,  do  not  simply  say  words; 
say  more.  Never  indulge  in  empty  speech;  that  is, 
place  yourself,  your  whole  self,  your  great  self  into 
every  word  you  utter.  Let  the  spoken  word  be  the 
body  of  your  speech,  but  see  that  every  body  has  a 
great  soul.  The  audible  word  itself  has  no  power, 
but  that  word  can  carry  all  the  power  that  you  can 
inwardly  feel  at  the  time  it  is  spoken.  When  you 
give  soul  to  your  speech  every  word  will  contain  hid- 
den power,  and  it  is  this  hidden  power  of  the  spoken 
word  that  constitutes  the  secret  word,  the  great 
word,  the  word  that  works  wonders  for  those  who 
understand.  We  realize,  therefore,  that  there  is  noth- 
ing mystical  or  mysterious  about  the  great  word;  it 
is  simply  a  measure  of  supreme  spiritual  power  tak- 
ing expression  in  thought  or  speech.  Jesus  Christ 
was  theg  reatest  master  in  the  use  of  the  word  that 
we  know,  though  there  have  been  hundreds  in  every 
age  that  have  discerned  its  power  and  applied  it  to  a 
great  degree.  In  this  age  there  are  more  than  there 
ever  were  before  who  are  consciously  using  the  word, 
but  as  the  general  understanding  of  its  nature  is  not 
clear,  results  are  not  as  great  as  they  might  be.  But 
it  is  predicted  that  we  are  to  do  the  greater  works, 


134  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

and  it  is  our  privilege  to  do  so  now  because  we  have 
received  the  power. 

There  are  thousands  in  the  world  to-day  who  are 
ready  to  do  the  greater  works ;  they  understand  the 
law;  they  know  the  truth  and  their  desire  to  live  the 
truth  is  becoming  stronger  every  hour;  but  there  is 
one  thing  more  needful.  We  must  enter  more  deeply 
into  the  spirit.  To  believe  in  things  spiritual  is  not 
sufficient;  nor  will  the  daily  effort  to  conform  with 
spiritual  principles  supply  the  necessary  require- 
ments. We  must  do  all  of  these  things  and  more. 
We  must  aim  to  enter  into  the  very  life  of  the  inner- 
most power  of  the  spirit  whatever  we  think,  say  or  do. 
When  we  think  the  truth,  we  must  mentally  feel  the 
inner  spirit  of  that  truth.  When  we  desire  the  realiza- 
tion of  some  divine  quality  or  perfect  condition,  we 
must  mentally  feel  the  deep  invincible  soul  of  that 
desire.  And  when  we  speak,  we  must  not  speak  as 
personal  men,  but  as  spiritual  Sons  of  the  Most  High, 
endued  with  limitless  power  from  the  Supreme.  In 
brief,  whatever  we  do  in  body,  mind  or  soul,  we  must 
enter  more  deeply  into  the  hidden  powers  of  the 
spirit,  and  must  try  to  realize  that  that  power  is  the 
very  soul  of  all  power.  When  we  think  we  can  feel 
the  soul  of  divine  power,  we  must  try  to  enter  into 
the  soul  of  that  soul;  and  when  we  realize  that  a 
deeper  soul  state  is  being  felt,  we  must  try  to  enter 
into  the  soul  of  this  deeper  state,  and  so  on,  ever 
going  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  limitless  vastness 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  135 

of  the  spirit.  Thus  we  shall  gain  the  great  word,  the 
word  that  gives  soul  to  every  word,  spirit  to  every 
thought  and  inner  power  to  every  statement. 

Give  soul  to  every  spoken  word  and  you  can  heal 
yourself  by  saying,  "I  Am  Well;"  you  can  emanci- 
pate yourself  from  every  adverse  condition  by  saying, 
"I  Am  the  Freedom  of  Divine  Truth;"  and  you  can 
cause  every  atom  in  your  being  to  thrill  with  life  and 
power  by  saying,  "I  Am  the  Strength  of  the  Infi- 
nite." Give  spirit  to  every  thought  you  think  and 
every  condition  you  picture  in  the  mind  will  be  rea- 
lized in  the  body.  Every  true  desire  you  feel  will  be 
fulfilled,  and  every  dream  of  greater  things  will  posi- 
tively come  true.  What  you  think  you  can  do  you 
will  gain  the  power  to  do,  because  every  thought  that 
is  filled  with  the  spirit  is  also  filled  with  the  limitless 
power  of  the  spirit.  Give  inner  power  to  every  state- 
ment, and  whatever  you  affirm  to  be  true  you  will 
cause  to  come  true.  The  great  word  is  creative,  and  if 
the  hidden  power  of  this  word  is  in  your  statement,  it 
will  create  whatever  your  statement  may  affirm. 
Therefore,  select  your  statements  with  wisdom,  and 
pray  only  for  that  which  you  know  that  you  want. 
When  you  regain  the  lost  word,  all  your  prayers  will 
be  answered  and  all  your  desires  come  true.  It  is 
therefore  advisable  to  pray  for  wisdom  first,  to  desire 
spirituality  first,  and  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

The  power  of  the  spirit  finds  full  expression  only 


136  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

through  the  Word:  but  since  mankind  in  general 
does  not  possess  the  Word,  it  is  usually  spoken  of  as 
the  "lost  word."  To  the  mind  that  is  only  partly 
awakened  this  Word  is  something  vague,  almost  in- 
comprehensible, yet  a  jewel  most  earnestly  desired. 
He1  feels  that  there  is  something  within  him  that  can 
know  this  Word,  and  speak  the  Word,  but  it  seems 
to  be  lost  to  his  mind  in  some  mysterious  manner.  It 
is  the  speaking  of  the  Word,  however,  that  heals  the 
sick  and  that  makes  man  free;  it  is  therefore  most 
desirable  to  possess.  When  it  is  stated  that  the  Word 
is  lost,  the  idea  is  not  that  the  human  race  possessed 
it  once,  and  lost  it  later.  The  entire  race  never  did 
possess  the  Word;  never  had  the  power  to  speak  the 
Word.  The  Word  has  been  lost  to  the  race  from  the 
beginning  of  manifested  existence  in  this  sphere,  but 
has  been  found  in  every  age  by  the  illumined  minds 
of  that  age,  and  through  those  minds  declared  to 
the  world.  Instead  of  speaking  of  the  Word  as  the 
"lost  word,"  it  would  therefore  be  better  to  speak 
of  it  as  the  "hidden  word,"  hidden  from  the  mind 
of  personal  man,  but  revealed  to  the  minds  of  illu- 
mined souls. 

Those  minds  that  are  on  the  borderland  of  the 
great  awakening  realize  that  immediately  beyond 
their  present  mental  comprehension  lies  a  world  of 
wisdom  and  light,  indescribable  in  its  marvelousness 
and  beauty.  To  some  minds  it  is  so  near  that  at 
times  the  veil  is  parted,  and  they  obtain  a  slight 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  137 

glimpse  of  the  glory  and  splendor  that  was,  is  and  is 
to  be.  Others  have  crossed  the  border  at  certain  pe- 
riods in  their  lives,  and  have  actually  entered,  for  a 
tune,  the  Father's  House  of  the  Many  Mansions.  But 
the  great  purpose  of  every  soul  is  to  some  day  enter 
this  celestial  world  and  abide  there  always.  Many 
have  believed  that  we  must  leave  the  body  before  we 
can  enter  that  sublime  realm;  the  truth  is,  however, 
that  we  may  enter  today,  if  we  are  ready,  and  live  in 
that  higher  world  while  still  living  upon  earth  in  phy- 
sical form.  We  shall  then  find  that  the  earth  is  not 
outside  of  the  kingdom,  but  that  the  real  earth,  spirit- 
ually discerned  and  understood  in  truth,  is  also  one  of 
His  secret  places. 

To  have  the  spiritual  discernment  to  look  into  this 
beautiful  world,  these  higher  realms,  and  behold  the 
sublime  glory  of  the  kingdom,  the  Father's  House  of 
the  Many  Mansions,  is  to  regain  the  "lost  word." 
"It  is  for  you  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom;" and  whoever  has  sufficient  spiritual  power  to 
part  the  veil  and  see  those  things  that  are  prepared 
for  them  that  love  Him,  has  found  the  "hidden 
word."  Now  he  knows  the  mysteries;  he  has  seen 
them  as  they  are.  He  has  crossed  the  border,  he  has 
trod  the  shining  shore  and  his  eyes  have  beheld  eter- 
nity. He  has  seen  the  Word,  because  the  One  Divine 
Word  is  the  revelation  of  all  that  Is  Eternal.  Who- 
ever can  see  that  which  Eternally  Is,  that  to  which 
nothing  can  be  added,  nothing  taken  away,  that 


138  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

which  is  the  foundation  of  all,  the  life  of  all,  the  all 
in  all,  can  see  the  Word.  The  Word  is  revealed  to 
him;  divine  wisdom  has  inspired  his  soul,  the  light 
of  the  spirit  has  illumined  his  mind,  and  he  speaks  as 
one  having  authority.  He  speaks,  not  of  that  which 
others  have  told  him,  not  as  the  scribes;  he  has  seen 
the  mysteries;  he  bears  witness  to  the  truth  because 
he  has  witnessed  and  beheld  the  truth  with  his  own 
illumined  mind.  The  heavens  have  opened  before 
him;  he  has  not  only  had  a  vision;  he  has  seen  the 
truth  that  is  beyond  the  vision  and  that  truth  is  the 
Word. 

To  reach  this  sublime  state  the  secret  is  faith;  not 
the  faith  that  believes,  but  the  faith  that  knows— the 
faith  that  can  see  with  the  vision  of  the  spirit.  Every 
soul  that  has  some  discernment  of  higher  things  has 
a  portion  of  faith.  This  faith  increases  as  the  soul 
ascends,  and  the  soul  ascends  as  the  faith  becomes 
larger,  higher  and  more  illumined.  To  feel  the  touch 
of  the  spirit  is  the  beginning  of  real  faith,  and  the 
nearer  the  soul  lives  to  the  spirit  the  larger  the  faith. 
In  the  first  stages  of  faith,  the  way  is  opened  for  the 
power  of  the  spirit  to  come  forth  and  prepare  the 
human  temple  for  the  greater  things  that  are  to  fol- 
low. After  this  period,  if  the  mind  continues  in 
spiritual  growth,  illumination  begins,  and  will  con- 
tinue until  the  Christ  state  is  attained. 

During  the  first  stages  of  spiritual  illumination  the 
mind  feels  the  nearness  of  a  higher  world,  and  here 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  139 

is  the  soul 's  opportunity  to  take  many  steps  towards 
the  heights.  Whenever  these  sublime  moments  ap- 
pear, enter  the  stillness  of  the  spirit,  and  place  body, 
mind  and  thought  in  touch  with  the  soul's  eternal 
calm.  Then  when  in  the  peace  that  passeth  under- 
standing, open  the  eyes  of  the  spirit,  and  in  faith, 
desire  to  meet  Him  face  to  face.  He  may  not  appear; 
but  be  not  impatient ;  know  that  He  will  appear,  and 
you  can  wait.  You  can  wait  an  eternity  for  such  a 
privilege,  for  a  single  moment  in  His  Presence  is  a 
million  heavens  in  one.  But  when  you  do  draw  near 
enough  to  behold  His  shining  glory,  give  thanks  with 
all  the  power  of  heart  and  soul.  The  Redeemer  haa 
entered  your  life;  you  have  found  the  way;  you  have 
entered  the  great  climax  of  human  existence  and  now 
you  may  begin  to  live.  Henceforth,  give  your  highest 
thought  and  attention  to  every  spiritual  experience 
that  may  appear,  no  matter  how  insignificant  it  may 
seem  to  be.  Know  that  every  manifestation  of  Divine 
Presence  indicates  that  you  are  growing  in  the  spirit, 
that  your  spiritual  eyes  are  being  opened,  that  you 
are  beginning  to  discern  His  omnipresence  and  to 
know  that  He  is  always  here,  closer  than  breathing, 
nearer  than  hands  and  feet. 

To  know  God  is  the  beginning  of  all  wisdom.  To 
know  and  feel  that  God  is  here,  everywhere,  that  we 
live  in  His  spirit,  His  life,  His  wisdom,  His  power, 
His  light  and  His  love  now,  is  to  awaken  the  mind  to 
real  wisdom.  Then  we  shall  find  the  "hidden  word;" 


140  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

then  we  shall  enter  the  inner  sanctuary  of  the  soul 
and  behold  the  Word  of  God  manifested  in  the  true 
being  of  man,  eternally  creating  the  true  being  of 
man  in  the  likeness  of  the  image  divine.  And  then 
we  behold  the  Word  of  truth  in  the  being  of  truth  we 
gain  the  power  to  speak  the  Word  of  truth.  To  know 
the  Word  is  to  have  the  power  to  speak  the  Word, 
and  to  speak  the  Word  is  to  cause  the  Word  to  be- 
come flesh.  Thus  the  life,  the  wholeness  and  the 
glory  of  the  spirit  is  made  real  in  the  personal  being 
of  man. 

To  grow  daily  in  the  spirit  is  the  way  to  the  higher 
faith,  the  larger  wisdom  and  the  beautiful  life.  Aspire 
constantly  to  live  the  life  of  the  spirit;  turn  all 
thought  and  attention  to  the  more  perfect  under- 
standing of  the  spirit;  keep  the  eye  single  upon  the 
divine  perfection  of  the  spirit,  and  there  shall  be 
many  moments  when  His  spirit  will  actually  appear. 
When  these  moments  come,  grieve  not  the  spirit 
away;  receive  its  life  and  its  power  by  entering  into 
the  stillness  within;  then  open  widely  the  door  of 
the  heart  that  the  Guest  from  On  High  may  come  in. 
Soon  He  will  come  again.  His  coming  will  become 
more  and  more  frequent,  and  when  you  are  ready  to 
actually  live  the  life  He  lives,  He  will  not  go  away 
any  more. 

Whenever  the  spirit  comes  and  is  received,  the 
Word  is  being  revealed  to  you,  and  you  obtain  a 
larger  glimpse  of  that  sublime  state  of  being  where 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  141 

you  are  about  to  enter,  never  to  return.  Never  to 
return  to  the  ways  of  the  world;  never  to  return  to 
the  bondage  of  sin;  but  to  live  in  the  light  and  the 
freedom  of  the  spirit  while  still  in  personal  form;  to 
walk  with  God  while  still  walking  the  earth;  to  be 
surrounded  and  protected  by  His  invisible  power 
while  still  living  and  working  in  the  midst  of  visible 
things.  In  the  world  and  yet  above  the  world.  When- 
ever you  discern  more  clearly  the  glory  of  the  king- 
dom it  means  that  you  are  drawing  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  pearly  gates.  Press  on;  not  with  force  and 
will,  but  with  peace  and  faith,  the  eye  ever  single 
upon  the  Light  that  leads.  It  is  the  will  of  God  that 
we  should  enter  now  "  there  is  another  and  a  better 
world. "  That  world  is  not  a  future  state  of  exist- 
ence, but  an  eternal  state  of  existence;  it  is  there- 
fore at  hand  here  and  now.  To  enter  the  "  pearly 
gates"  is  to  enter  that  better  world— God 's  own  true 
world  where  all  is  well.  And  those  gates  are  ajar  to 
all  who  can  speak  the  Word. 


Light   within,   guide  thou  my  way, 
/  am  seeding  truth  to-day; 
Where  thou  leadest  I  will  go. 
And  all  wisdom  I  shall  ((now. 
Peace  and  joy  and  truth  and  love 
Are  the  blessings  from  above 
That  will  surely  come  to  me 
When  /  gently  follow  thee. 


Light  within,  thou  light  divine, 
Thou  shall  never  cease  to  shine; 
Thou  canst  not  depart  from  me; 
We  are  one,  for  I  am  thee. 
Darkness  flies  and  sins  depart, 
Truth  is  reigning  in  my  heart; 
Endless  day  dispersed  the  night 
When  I  found  I  was  the  Light. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  ROYAL  PATH  TO  WISDOM 

Solomon  prayed  for  wisdom  and  received  it;  any 
other  soul  may  do  the  same.  God  is  infinite  wisdom ; 
and  "all  that  the  Father  hath  is  mine";  we  need 
simply  go  and  receive  our  own.  We  may  receive 
from  the  supreme  mind,  at  any  time,  as  much  wisdom, 
on  any  subject,  as  our  own  minds  can  possibly  ap- 
propriate, and  we  may  also  receive,  from  the  same 
source,  the  power  to  appropriate  more. 

The  wisdom  that  comes  from  God  does  not  simply 
pertain  to  the  soul  or  to  the  life  of  some  other  world, 
because  God  is  the  original  source  of  all  wisdom,  and 
therefore  we  may  receive  light  directly  from  Him  on 
any  subject  whatever.  Nor  does  the  wisdom  that 
comes  from  God  need  special  interpretation;  it  is 
sufficiently  clear  for  anyone  to  understand  who  is  in 
harmony  with  God. 

When  higher  wisdom  needs  interpretation,  it  is  not 
from  God,  but  is  simply  the  mystical  ideas  of  minds 
that  have  not  found  the  clear  light  of  the  Infinite 
mind.  The  mystical  wisdom  of  man  is  complex  and 
confusing;  the  wisdom  of  God  is  simple  and  illumi- 

145 


146  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

nating ;  the  former  produces  darkness  and  doubt ;  the 
latter  produces  that  faith  that  knows. 

When  we  learn  that  real  wisdom  comes  directly 
from  God,  we  shall  no  longer  seek  knowledge  through 
the  training  of  the  senses  to  discriminate  between  il- 
lusions ;  nor  shall  we  depend  upon  experience  for  in- 
struction. Real  wisdom  does  not  come  from  exper- 
ience; experience  can  only  tell  us  how  it  feels  to  live 
in  illusions  and  overcome  illusions,  but  it  tells  us 
nothing  about  how  it  feels  to  live  in  the  real  and 
ascend  into  the  greater  and  the  greater  life  of  the 
real. 

The  mind  that  lives  in  the  light  of  the  Most  High, 
knows  the  result  of  any  experience  long  before  that 
experience  arrives;  therefore,  to  such  a  mind,  expe- 
rience can  convey  no  information.  If  the  experience 
is  pleasant,  it  is  welcomed  and  received  for  the  joy  it 
brings,  but  if  it  is  not  pleasant,  it  is  avoided,  and  the 
mind  that  is  taught  of  God,  knows  beforehand 
whether  any  particular  experience  will  be  desirable 
or  not. 

To  live  with  God  is  to  gain  good  from  every  source, 
be  the  source  physical,  mental  or  spiritual;  but  the 
wisdom  that  comes  with  this  good  does  not  come 
from  these  various  sources;  it  may  come  through 
these  sources  because  to  live  with  God  is  to  touch  God 
everywhere,  and  thus  receive  wisdom  from  God 
through  every  channel  in  the  world. 

To  be  taught  of  God  is  to  pray  for  wisdom,  to  de- 


147 

pend  upon  God  for  wisdom,  and  to  live  so  near  to  God 
that  we  shall  be  in  the  light  of  His  wisdom.  'What- 
ever we  wish  to  know,  we  should  take  it  to  God,  and 
let  His  spirit  lead  us,  guide  us,  and  inspire  our  minds 
with  the  truth  desired. 

The  mind  that  is  led  by  the  spirit  will  not  go 
wrong;  or  if  it  should  temporarily  be  on  the  verge 
of  taking  a  misstep,  something  will  interfere.  This 
something  may  seem  to' be  special  providence,  and 
in  a  certain  sense  it  is,  because  the  Infinite  is  ever 
ready  to  do  for  man  whatever  he  may  wish  to  have 
done. 

When  we  place  ourselves  in  the  hands  of  the  Infi- 
nite, He  will  find  a  way,  and  this  way  will  be  revealed 
to  us  before  it  is  too  late.  Sometimes  it  may  not 
appear  until  the  eleventh  hour,  but  it  invariably 
comes  in  time.  We  may  therefore  rest  assured  in 
this  faith  and  know,  "That  I  will  not  forsake  thee 
nor  leave  thee;  I  am  thy  Redeemer,  I  will  care  for 
thee." 

The  great  secret  of  all  the  inspired  minds  of  the 
ages  may  be  found  here ;  they  seemed  to  have  super- 
human knowledge,  they  spoke  with  authority,  and 
their  words  have  been  universally  received  as  the 
truth ;  the  reason  being,  they  lived  in  the  light  of  the 
Most  High ;  they  were  taught  of  God. 

To  be  taught  of  God  it  is  necessary  to  live  with  God, 
walk  with  God,  and  open  the  mind  completely  to  the 
great  influx  of  supreme  light  from  on  high.  It  is 


148  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

necessary  to  be  in  such  close  spiritual  touch  with  the 
Infinite  mind  that  we  can  feel  the  thought  of  God, 
and  think  His  thoughts  after  Him.  And  this  any 
soul  can  do.  To  live  with  God  is  the  simplest  life  of 
all,  and  also  the  most  beautiful;  and  to  walk  with 
God  requires  no  effort  whatever.  Any  soul  that  can 
lift  up  the  mind  towards  supreme  spiritual  realms 
can  walk  with  God  now. 

When  we  place  ourselves  in  that  position  where 
we  can  be  taught  of  God,  it  is  then  that  we  begin  to 
use  the  mind  in  the  highest  sense.  It  is  then  that  the 
mind  becomes  so  transparent  that  the  light  of  Infi- 
nite wisdom  can  shine  through  and  manifest  itself  in 
all  its  brilliancy  and  glory.  It  is  then  that  the  Word 
becomes  flesh,  and  the  truth  of  divine  being  is  un- 
folded in  the  personal  life  of  man. 

The  true  function  of  the  human  mind  is  to  think 
with  the  Infinite  mind,  because  the  human  mind  is  an 
inseparable  part  of  the  Infinite  mind.  When  the 
human  mind  tries  to  think  alone,  it  becomes  confused, 
and  the  ideas  that  it  may  form  are  mere  illusions. 

It  is  therefore  evident  that  all  the  ideas  in  the 
world  that  have  been  formed  while  the  human  mind 
was  trying  to  think  apart  from  the  Infinite  mind,  are 
illusions;  and  the  wisdom  of  the  world  is  full  of  such 
illusions.  We  can  remove  them  completely,  however, 
by  turning  to  God,  and  opening  our  minds  completely 
to  the  clear  light  from  on  high. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  149 

When  we  begin  to  receive  the  wisdom  of  God,  we 
find  that  the  wisdom  of  the  world  was  the  cause  of 
our  trouble ;  we  were  living  in  darkness  and  could  not 
see  the  way,  therefore  took  many  missteps  and  made 
many  mistakes;  but  when  we  open  our  minds  to  the 
wisdom  of  God  we  are  in  the  light,  the  way  is  clear, 
and  we  shall  not  go  wrong  any  more. 

However,  we  are  not  required  to  ignore  everything 
that  man  may  say  in  order  to  receive  the  pure  wisdom 
of  God.  God  speaks  through  everything  and  most  of 
all  through  man.  When  we  desire,  with  the  whole 
heart,  to  be  taught  of  God,  we  shall  constantly  receive 
wisdom  from  God,  and  it  may  come  through  a  million 
channels,  including  the  mind  of  man,  but  we  must 
remember  that  the  mind  of  man  does  not  simply  mean 
the  minds  of  other  men ;  our  own  minds  are  included 
in  the  mind  of  man,  and  as  we  grow  in  the  spirit  we 
shall  receive  most  of  our  divine  wisdom  with  our  own 
mentalities  as  the  principal  channel. 

This  is  the  great  goal  we  have  in  view,  but  we  can- 
not place  our  own  minds  in  perfect  touch  with  the 
Infinite  mind  unless  we  think  of  all  minds  and  all 
things  as  being  channels  for  the  wisdom  of  God. 
When  we  can  see  God  in  all  things,  then  we  shall 
meet  Him  face  to  face.  When  we  can  receive  His 
wisdom  through  all  things,  then  we  shall  hear  His 
voice,  speaking  directly  to  us,  in  the  beautiful  silence 
of  our  own  soul. 

When  we  enter  this  silence,  as  we  may  at  any  time, 


150  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

we  know  we  are  in  communication  with  God,  and  we 
may  learn  the  truth  about  anything  that  we  have 
sought  to  understand.  God  is  not  a  God  of  the  future 
state  alone.  He  is  the  God  of  all  time,  even  the  pres- 
ent, and  He  is  at  hand  ready  to  lead  us  aright  in 
everything  that  we  may  wish  to  do  in  the  present.  We 
may  be  taught  now,  by  Him,  in  all  things  pertaining 
to  physical  and  mental  existence  as  well  as  the  very 
highest  spiritual  existence.  And  the  more  we  ask 
of  God  the  more  we  please  God. 


"Lay  not  up  for  yourself  treasures  upon 
earth."  Where  the  heart  is  there  our  treasures 
will  be  also,  and  when  the  heart  is  in  the  earth, 
earthy,  all  that  is  beautiful  in  life  will  be  lost. 
Our  treasure  is  that  which  we  love  the  best,  but 
it  is  not  wisdom  to  give  our  best  love  to  things. 
Give  your  best  love  to  the  spirit  of  things  and 
you  will  receive,  not  only  the  visible  form,  but 
also  that  sublime  something  that  gives  life  and 
loveliness  to  the  form.  Seek  the  riches  of  the 
spirit  and  you  gain  wealth  and  happiness  that 
shall  never  pass  away.  The  richest  man  in  the 
world  is  he  who  has  found  the  diamond  fields 
of  the  soul,  while  the  poorest  is  he  who  is  bur- 
dened with  things  that  have  not  the  spirit  of 
things.  It  is  our  privilege  to  have  abundance  of 
all  that  is  rich  and  beautiful  in  the  visible  World, 
but  it  is  the  wealth  and  the  beauty  of  the  soul 
that  gives  happiness;  it  is  the  treasures  we  lay 
up  in  the  spiritual  within  that  make  all  other 
treasures  worth  while. 

When  We  know  that  Cod  is  life,  power, 
health,  harmony  and  joy,  we  will  receive  those 
blessings  in  boundless  supply  whenever  We  feel 
that  His  presence  is  here.  When  we  attain  the 
consciousness  of  the  omnipresence  of  God,  we 
will  receive  from  God  whatever  we  know  to  be 
in  God. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  GOLDEN   PATH   TO  INCREASE 

For  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he 
shall  have  abundance,  but  whosoever  hath  not, 
from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he 
hath.— Mat.  13:12. 

The  real  element  of  possession  exists  in  conscious- 
ness. What  we  possess  in  consciousness  we  inevit- 
ably will  gain  in  the  personal  life;  and  no  matter 
how  well  secured  our  external  possessions  may  be,  the 
moment  we  begin  to  feel  in  conscious  that  we  may 
lose  them,  our  hold  on  those  things  will  weaken,  and 
external  loss  will  shortly  begin  unless  this  adverse 
state  of  mind  is  immediately  changed. 

To  consciously  feel  that  everything  that  you  need 
or  desire  is  for  you— in  brief,  actually  belongs  to  you 
in  the  real,  is  to  be  among  those  that  hath,  even 
though  you  may,  at  present,  be  empty  banded  in  the 
external  world.  To  you  shall  be  given,  and  you  shall 
have  abundance  both  in  spiritual  possessions  and  in 
visible  possessions.  But  to  consciously  feel  that  you 
do  not  have  real  or  permanent  possession  of  anything, 
is  to  be  among  those  that  hath  not,  even  though  you 

153 


154  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

may  have  visible  wealth  in  great  measure.  From  you 
shall  be  taken  away,  and  those  external  possessions 
that  you  seem  to  have  shall  pass  to  other  hands. 

This  law  is  universal  in  its  application  and  holds 
true  in  all  matters,  be  they  physical,  mental  or  spirit- 
ual. The  secret  of  gaining  more  on  any  plane  is  to 
consciously  feel  that  you  have  more.  Enter  into  the 
hath  state  of  mind.  Whether  you  desire  life,  health, 
power,  wisdom,  spirituality  or  greater  abundance  in 
external  things,  train  your  consciousness  to  feel  that 
you  have  the  real  substance  of  the  thing  desired.  Do 
not  judge  according  to  appearances,  but  continue  to 
inwardly  feel  the  possession  of  that  which  you  claim 
as  your  possession. 

When  the  mind  enters  the  feeling  of  conscious  pos- 
session, the  first  gain  is  the  fuller  possession  of  your- 
self and  your  powers ;  you  immediately  begin  to  feel 
stronger;  this  will  strengthen  and  enlarge  your  con- 
sciousness of  gain,  which  in  turn,  will  increase  the 
power  of  accumulation  that  has  begun  in  your 
system.  You  thus  not  only  become  larger  and  stronger 
in  your  own  nature,  but  you  gain  a  more  powerful 
hold  upon  everything  with  which  you  may  come  in 
contact.  You  awaken  greater  and  superior  qualities 
in  your  own  mind  and  soul,  and  you  inspire  faith  and 
confidence  in  the  minds  of  others.  You  thus  create 
those  advantages  and  essentials,  both  in  the  within 
and  in  the  without,  that  are  conducive  to  gain. 

When  the  mind  enters  the  fear  of  loss  and  begins 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES  155 

to  feel  that  there  is  going  to  be  loss,  the  first  loss  is 
the  loss  of  self-possession.  You  lose  your  hold  upon 
your  own  powers,  and,  in  consequence,  begin  to 
weaken.  Your  faculties  fail  to  do  their  best,  your 
work  becomes  inferior,  your  personality  does  not  at- 
tract as  it  did,  and  your  power  to  inspire  confi- 
dence in  others,  is  on  the  wane.  You  suffer  loss  in  all 
things,  physical,  mental  and  spiritual,  and  you  are 
daily  losing  ground.  Finally,  everything  that  you 
seemed  to  possess  is  taken  away.  But  the  loss  began 
in  your  own  consciousness,  and  you  could  have 
stopped  it  there  if  you  had  known  how. 

The  losing  tendency  can  be  stopped  at  any  stage, 
but  the  only  place  where  it  can  be  immediately 
stopped  is  at  its  first  appearance  in  consciousness. 
When  you  begin  to  feel  that  there  is  danger  of  loss, 
or  when  the  general  indications  seem  to  predict  loss, 
remove  that  feeling  at  once.  Refuse  to  think  of  loss; 
refuse  to  admit  the  possibility  of  loss;  refuse  to 
recognize  loss  in  any  form  whatever.  Proceed  to 
claim  your  own;  give  all  the  power  of  mind  and 
thought  to  the  great  truth  that  you  do  possess  now, 
in  the  real,  everything  that  you  can  possibly  need  or 
desire.  Give  full  recognition  to  the  boundlessness  of 
your  own  spiritual  riches,  and  live  in  the  conviction 
that  whatever  you  claim  possession  of  in  the  within 
you  will  gain  possession  of  in  the  without. 

The  tide  will  turn  before  any  real  loss  takes  place; 
and  instead  of  falling  back  into  the  world  of  the 


156  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

ones  that  hath  not,  you  will  advance  farther  into  the 
richness  of  that  world  where  dwell  the  ones  that  hath, 
In  consequence,  to  you  will  be  given,  and  you  will 
have  more  than  you  ever  had  before.  This  method 
should  be  used  with  faith  and  perseverance  whenever 
there  is  the  least  indication  of  loss ;  negative  condi- 
tions should  be  replaced  with  positive  conditions,  fear 
should  be  annihilated  by  faith,  and  every  downward 
tendency  should  be  converted  into  a  strong  ascending 
tendency. 

To  live  in  the  "hath"  state  of  mind  and  grow 
steadily  in  the  conscious  feeling  of  possession,  con- 
tinuous growth  in  spirituality  will  be  required.  It  is 
only  through  spirituality  that  we  can  grasp  the 
reality  of  the  inner  substance  of  things,  and  we  must 
gain  consciousness  of  the  inner  substance  of  life  be- 
fore we  can  master  those  forces  that  make  for  per- 
petual increase  in  life. 

To  live  in  the  "hath"  state  of  mind  it  is  also  neces- 
sary to  advance  constantly  into  a  deeper  and  larger 
conscious  possession  of  those  things  that  we  already 
possess  in  abundance.  There  can  be  no  inaction  in 
consciousness;  if  we  are  not  going  forward  into  the 
larger  and  the  more  perfect  we  are  going  back  and 
down  into  the  lesser.  Therefore,  no  matter  how  much 
power  we  actually  possess,  we  should  daily  claim  con- 
scious possession  of  more ;  no  matter  how  perfect  our 
health  may  be,  we  should  daily  enter  into  the  con- 
sciousness of  higher  perfections  of  health.  When  we 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  157 

cease  to  grow  in  health  we  prepare  the  system  for 
sickness,  but  so  long  as  we  grow  in  health,  sickness 
will  be  impossible. 

The  same  law  is  applicable  both  to  external  posses- 
sions and  spiritual  possessions.  To  retain  what  we 
have  we  must  daily  develop  the  consciousness  of 
more.  The  moment  we  decide  to  be  satisfied  with 
what  we  have  we  will  begin  to  lose  what  we  have. 
There  is  no  limit  to  the  riches  of  the  kingdom  of  life, 
and  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man  shall  enjoy  more 
and  more  of  these  riches,  every  day,  so  long  as  eter- 
nity shall  continue  to  be.  And  to  do  the  will  of  God 
is  to  bring  the  highest  happiness  to  man. 

That  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil  is  true, 
providing  we  give  the  statement  its  true  and  full 
significance.  When  we  speak  of  money  we  do  not 
mean  those  things  simply  that  pass  for  money,  but 
we  mean  all  external  possessions.  When  we  love  ex- 
ternal possessions  the  heart  is  in  the  without  and  not 
in  the  spirit  as  it  always  should  be  to  be  in  the  truth. 
When  the  heart  is  in  external  things,  we  begin  to  live 
for  things ;  the  mind  comes  to  the  surface  and  conse- 
quently becomes  shallow  and  material.  The  mind 
that  lives  on  the  surface  is  not  in  touch  with  the  deep 
things  of  life,  is  not  conscious  of  the  inner  light  of 
truth,  and  is  therefore  in  darkness.  To  be  in  dark- 
ness is  to  go  wrong,  and  to  go  wrong  is  to  create  evil. 
Every  mind  that  is  not  led  by  the  inner  light  of  the 
spirit  will  go  wrong;  in  fact,  every  wrong  act  comes 


158  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

because  the  mind  follows  external  darkness  instead 
of  internal  light;  and  it  is  only  the  love  of  other 
things  that  draws  the  mind  out  into  the  darkness  of 
things.  So  long  as  we  love  the  spirit  the  mind  is  in 
touch  with  the  spirit  and  is  illumined  by  the  light  of 
the  spirit.  When  we»  are  in  this  light  we  will  not  go 
wrong,  we  will  not  commit  evil,  because  we  can  see 
the  right,  and  we  can  see  that  the  right  is  the  very 
thing  we  have  desired,  longed  for,  prayed  for. 

The  more  deeply  we  love  the  inner  life  and  the 
riches  of  the  spirit,  the  more  spiritual  and  illumined 
we  become;  accordingly,  we  can  see  more  and  more 
clearly  how  to  do  all  things  as  they  should  be  done; 
our  mistakes  will  decrease,  and  wrongs  and  evil  will 
disappear.  To  love  the  life  is  to  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  truth,  and  in  the  truth  there  is  freedom— freedom 
from  sickness,  evil,  weakness  and  want.  Evil  can 
grow  only  in  materiality;  and  materiality  is  produced 
simply  by  our  own  confused  thinking.  But  when  we 
are  in  touch  with  the  spiritual  life  within,  our  think- 
ing is  not  confused ;  we  are  then  in  the  light  of  truth, 
and  we  think  the  truth.  In  consequence,  we  no  longer 
produce  the  darkness  and  discord  of  materiality;  in- 
stead we  produce  the  peace  and  the  harmony  of 
spirituality,  and  all  is  well. 

When  your  treasure,  that  is,  that  which  you  love 
the  best,  is  in  the  without,  in  the  earth,  earthy,  your 
whole  life  will  be  in  the  earth,  earthy.  You  will  thus 
live  continually  in  wrong  thought  because  you  do  not 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOBES  159 

see  how  to  create  right  thought.  All  mental  light, 
even  the  light  of  reason,  conies  from  within;  there- 
fore, when  the  mind  is  so  absorbed  in  outer  things 
that  it  ignores  completely  the  within,  all  thinking 
will  be  more  or  less  at  variance  with  truth,  and  evils 
must  necessarily  follow.  But  when  your  treasure  is 
in  the  spirit,  and  you  love  the  riches  of  the  soul  better 
than  anything  else,  you  will  live  on  the  mountain  top. 
You  will  dwell  in  realms  sublime,  in  the  very  light  of 
His  infinite  wisdom;  all  your  thinking  will  be  il- 
lumined with  that  light ;  you  will  thus  think  only  the 
truth,  and  he  produces  no  evil  who  always  thinks  the 
truth. 

To  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven  is  not  to  prepare  for 
a  heaven  in  the  future,  but  to  accumulate  greater 
and  greater  spiritual  riches  now.  That  soul  that  is 
attaining  real  spiritual  wisdom,  that  is  growing  daily 
in  the  love  that  loves  everything,  that  is  living  in  the 
peace  that  passeth  understanding,  that  is  being  filled 
more  and  more  with  life  and  power  from  on  high,  that 
is  gaining  conscious  realization  of  all  the  divine  ele- 
ments of  pure,  spiritual  being— that  soul  is  laying  up 
treasures  in  heaven.  Such  a  soul  is  actually  coming 
into  possession  of  those  superior  riches  now,  and  is 
learning  to  use  them  today  for  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  emancipation  of  man. 

To  become  a  strong  soul,  to  attain  the  mastery  of 
the  spirit,  to  become  a  living  inspiration  to  all  the 
world,  to  unfold  all  that  is  lofty  and  beautiful  and 


160  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

sublime  in  the  spiritual  life,  to  realize  the  joy  ever- 
lasting and  draw  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  Christ  state 
—that  is  the  purpose  of  him  who  is  laying  up 
treasures  in  heaven.  And  when  we  possess  spirit- 
uality with  all  its  qualities  of  high  worth,  we  have  the 
riches  of  all  riches;  we  have  that  something  that  can 
produce  all  riches,  not  only  in  the  spirit,  but  also  in 
mind  and  body.  That  person  who  has  found  the 
riches  of  the  within  need  never  have  any  fear  of  ex- 
ternal loss.  Though  all  might  disappear  in  the  with- 
out, still,  being  in  touch  with  the  source  of  all  supply, 
he  could  at  once  begin  to  regain  everything.  When 
we  are  in  the  spirit  we  are  upon  the  solid  rock  of  all 
good ;  we  possess  the  key  to  unbounded  riches  on  all 
planes,  and  so  long  as  we  live  in  the  spirit  we  shall 
not  lose  that  key.  WThen  one  door  closes  we  can  open 
another,  sometimes  several,  and  all  that  the  heart  can 
wish  for  shall  always  be  ours  to  possess  and  enjoy. 
When  we  are  in  the  spirit,  we  not  only  possess  the 
riches  of  the  spirit— those  riches  that  actually  make 
every  moment  of  existence  a  full  realization  of  the 
highest  joys  of  life— but  we  also  possess  the  power  to 
supply  the  without  abundantly,  being  in  perfect 
touch  with  the  Giver  of  all  that  is  good  in  the  world. 
There  is  no  truth  in  the  belief  that  we  must  neces- 
sarily relinquish  external  possessions  the  moment  we 
begin  to  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven.  That  power  that 
produces  the  riches  of  the  spirit,  can,  and  will,  pro- 
duce abundance  in  the  external  world  as  well.  A.11 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  161 

outer  things  will  invariably  be  added  when  the  king- 
dom within  is  sought— actually  sought,  and  sought 
first,  not  only  at  first  but  always.  So  long  as  we 
seek  only  the  treasures  of  earth  we  get  but  little  of 
those  treasures,  while  we  get  an  overabundance  of  the 
suffering  and  pain  of  material  existence.  But  when 
we  begin  to  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven,  we  obtain  the 
peace,  the  joy,  the  contentment,  the  health,  the 
strength,  the  wisdom,  the  power  and  the  life  we  so 
greatly  desire ;  in  addition,  we  obtain  higher  spiritual 
possessions  without  number,  and  an  abundance  of 
everything  that  is  necessary  to  make  the  outer  life 
full  and  complete. 


Live  eternally  In  conscious  unity  with  the  In- 
finite; have  faith  in  Cod,  have  faith  in  human- 
ity, have  faith  in  yourself;  then  live,  think  and 
act  according  to  principles  only,  and  there  is 
nothing  you  may  not  accomplish. 

Great  deeds  in  life  are  invariably  brought 
about  by  higher  power.  And  if  we  would  be 
constantly  in  touch  with  higher  power,  we  must 
live  in  the  perfect  faith  and  consciousness  of  the 
great  spiritual  within,  where  higher  power  has  its 
center  and  throne.  This,  however,  is  not  pos- 
sible so  long  as  we  think  more  of  the  person  than 
of  the  soul.  To  be  centered  in  the  spirit  We 
must  live  in  the  spirit,  and  give  the  spirit  our  first 
thought  at  all  times.  Then  We  shall  be  filled 
with  the  supreme  power  of  the  spirit,  and  OUT 
strength,  both  in  mind  and  body,  shall  be  daily 
renewed  from  on  high. 

"Resist  not  him  that  is  evil."  The  true  path 
to  emancipation  is  to  give  so  much  thought,  life 
and  attention  to  the  building  of  the  good  that  We 
have  not  the  time  to  even  think  of  evil.  Then 
evil  will  die  for  want  of  nourishment.  The  mind 
that  is  absolutely  full  of  a  strong,  spiritual  build- 
ing power,  has  no  room  whatever  for  evil  con- 
ditions of  any  kind. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  LIFE   MOKE   ABUNDANT 

I  came  that  they  may  have  life,  and  may  have  it 
abundantly.— John  10:10. 

The  greatest  thing  that  man  can  do  is  to  live. 
Everything  that  appears  in  any  sphere  of  existence 
comes  from  life,  and  therefore  everything  increases 
with  the  increase  of  life.  To  live  more  is  to  become 
more  and  gain  the  power  to  accomplish  more  what- 
ever the  field  of  action  may  be;  to  live  more  is  to  enter 
more  fully  into  the  richness  and  joy  of  life  itself,  and 
there  is  no  joy  that  is  greater  than  that  which  comes 
from  perpetual  growth  in  real  life. 

The  purpose  of  life  is  to  live  more  life;  the  prin- 
cipal secret  of  perfection  in  any  period  of  life  is  to 
live  as  large  a  life  as  that  period  can  appreciate  and 
employ,  and  to  constantly  add  to  the  abundance  of 
that  large  life  is  to  make  each  period  better  than  the 
one  that  went  before.  Growth  in  life  means  growth 
in  health,  growth  in  strength,  growth  in  capacity, 
growth  in  mental  brilliancy,  growth  in  talent,  growth 
in  wisdom,  growth  in  power,  and,  in  brief,  growth  in 
everything  that  a  normal  state  of  existence  can  pos- 

165 


166  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

sibly  need  or  desire.  The  mission  of  the  Christ  is 
therefore  not  purely  transcendental,  nor  solely  for 
some  other  world. 

The  teachings  of  the  Christ  are  applicable  to  every 
part  of  personal  existence,  and  may  be  applied  with 
great  profit  in  every  circumstance  or  event  that  can 
arise  in  the  great  eternal  now.  What  is  more,  no  per- 
son can  do  full  justice  to  anything  he  may  undertake 
to  do  unless  he  enters  into  full  harmony  with  the 
great  mission  of  the  Christ.  The  life*  more  abundant 
can  come  only  through  the  Christ,  and  we  all  need  the 
life  more  abundant  if  we  are  to  be  true  to  our  own 
marvelous  nature. 

The  coming  of  the  Christ,  however,  was  not  con- 
fined to  a  short  period  of  time  some  two  thousand 
years  ago;  the  Christ  comes  now  to  every  one  who 
enters  the  spirit;  and  when  He  comes,  He  invariably 
brings  the  life  more  abundant.  We  may,  at  any  time, 
enter  the  fullness  of  eternal  life;  and  when  we  do, 
everything  changes  for  the  better.  The  life  more 
abundant  dispels  the  ills  of  existence  in  the  same 
manner  as  light  dispels  darkness,  and  just  as  ef- 
fectively, whatever  those  ills  may  be. 

The  ills  of  personal  existence  come  principally 
from  two  causes:  ignorance  of  divine  law  and  false 
desire.  The  coming  of  the  life  more  abundant  gives 
the  mind  the  necessary  power  to  understand  the  laws 
of  life;  when  we  are  in  the  life  eternal  we  are  in  har- 
mony with  the  laws  of  the  life  eternal,  and  will  not 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  167 

misuse  those  laws  any  more.  When  we  are  filled  with 
the  richer  life  from  within  we  no  longer  desire  the 
lesser  things  in  the  without;  we  will  not  care  for  the 
wrong,  having  found  everything  that  heart  can  wish 
for  in  the  beautiful  kingdom  of  the  right. 

To  enter  the  life  more  abundant,  first  live  the 
teachings  of  the  Christ ;  not  according  to  the  letter  but 
according  to  the  spirit.  The  spirit  is  infinitely 
greater  than  the  letter,  and  includes  everything  of 
worth  that  the  letter  may  contain.  Second,  live  now 
in  the  Christ  consciousness.  Know  that  the  Christ  is 
here,  that  His  spirit  is  within  you  and  all  about  you, 
and  that  you  can  be  conscious  of  His  presence  at  any 
time  by  simply  opening  your  own  mind  to  His  kind- 
ness and  tenderness  and  sublime  love.  Know  that 
"I  am  with  you,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world, "  and 
think  on  these  things. 

The  more  attention  we  give  to  the  great  truth  that 
the  Christ  is  here  with  us  now,  the  more  we  open  the 
mind  to  the  consciousness  of  His  spiritual  presence, 
and  as  we  enter  more  and  more  into  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  Christ,  we  enter  more  and  more  into  the 
limitless  life  of  the  Christ;  thus  we  become  filled, 
through  and  through,  with  the  supreme  power  of  that 
life  that  is  eternal  life. 

The  life  eternal,  however,  is  not  distinct  from  any 
other  form  of  life;  it  is  the  source  of  all  life,  and  as 
we  enter  more  and  more  into  the  life  eternal  we  gain 
more  life  on  every  plane  of  being.  We  then  begin  to 


168  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

express  the  life  more  abundant  through  every  part 
of  body,  mind  and  soul,  and  thus  demonstrate  con- 
clusively that  a  strong  soul  does  not  mean  a  weak 
body. 

The  life  of  the  soul  is  eternal  life,  and  the  more  we 
unfold  that  life  the  more  health,  strength  and  vigor 
we  give  to  the  body;  the  mind  becomes  more  brilliant, 
the  personality  more  powerful,  and  the  character 
more  beautiful.  And  above  all,  we  ascend  to  that 
sublime  life  on  the  heights  that  is  fairer  than  ten 
thousand  to  the  soul. 

For  whosoever  would  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  and 
whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find 
it.— Mat.  16:25. 

When  you  lose  your  life  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  you 
let  go  of  the  limited  life  that  is  living  in  you  in  order 
that  the  limitless  life  of  the  Christ  may  live  in  you. 
Likewise,  when  you  deny  yourself  and  follow  the 
Christ  you  remove  the  personal  self  from  the  throne 
of  your  being  and  enthrone  the  superior  spiritual  self 
instead.  There  is  therefore  no  sacrifice;  you  lose 
nothing  but  your  limitations  and  your  illusions,  while 
you  gain  everything  that  the  kingdom  of  God  holds  in 
store  for  man. 

The  belief  that  it  is  necessary  to  lose  something  of 
actual  value  in  order  to  gain  the  life  eternal  is  not 
the  truth.  Poverty  in  the  personal  life  does  not  pro- 
duce spiritual  riches,  nor  does  the  sacrifice  of  tempo- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  169 

ral  joys  produce  the  bliss  of  heaven.  The  idea  of 
self-sacrifice  must  be  eliminated;  so  long  as  we  think 
that  we  have  to  sacrifice  all  that  is  good  in  the  visible 
world  in  order  to  gain  the  joys  and  the  riches  of  the 
invisible,  we  are  out  of  harmony  with  the  beautiful 
order  of  the  cosmos.  In  the  true  order  of  things  all 
that  is  real  is  good,  and  all  that  is  good,  man  has  the 
privilege  to  enjoy  now. 

The  only  things  that  we  are  required  to  sacrifice 
are  our  ills,  our  defects,  our  weaknesses,  our  short- 
comings, our  limitations ;  in  brief,  we  are  required  to 
remove  the  personal  self  and  its  imperfections  from 
our  world  of  existence.  The  true  self-sacrifice  is  that 
which  refuses  to  permit  personal  imperfections  to 
rule  in  the  personal  life,  and  gives  up  to  the  light,  the 
power  and  the  life  of  the  spirit. 

When  you  deny  yourself  in  the  true  manner,  you 
deny  your  outer  mind  the  privilege  of  rulership.  You 
no  longer  follow  the  desires  and  the  beliefs  of  the 
flesh;  you  no  longer  obey  the  dictates  of  the  body; 
you  declare  that  the  body  must  serve  the  soul  and  the 
soul  must  serve  the  Christ.  You  thereby  permit  the 
supreme  life  of  the  Christ  to  live  in  you;  the  mind 
that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  enters  your  mind,  and  His 
life  and  His  power  becomes  your  own.  The  lesser 
life  is  lost,  the  greater  life  has  come  in  its  place.  The 
mere  man  in  you  is  decreasing  while  the  divine  in 
you  is  increasing  and  will  thus  continue  until  you  are 
perfect  as  your  heavenly  Father  is  perfect. 


170  THE  PATHWAY  OF  BOSES 

To  try  to  save  the  personal  life  is  to  live  exclu- 
sively for  the  limitations  of  external  existence;  in 
consequence,  the  mind  becomes  so  absorbed  in  the 
lesser  life  without  that  it  is  wholly  unconscious  of  the 
greater  life  within.  But  we  cannot  receive  the 
greater  life  from  within  unless  we  are  in  conscious 
touch  with  that  life,  and  since  the  within  is  the  only 
source  of  life,  we  cease  to  receive  life  the  moment  we 
are  consciously  separated  from  the  inner  life. 

To  live  entirely  for  the  personal  life  is  to  be  sep- 
arated from  the  inner  life,  and  therefore  we  are  not 
receiving  any  more  life.  The  personal  life,  however, 
that  we  are  trying  to  save  will  be  gradually  used  up, 
and  thus  we  will  lose  what  we  are  so  anxious  to  save. 
But  when  we  begin  to  live  for  the  spirit,  and  begin  to 
follow  the  Christ  into  the  vast  spiritual  realms  of 
limitless  life,  we  will  find  more  and  more  life ;  and  the 
more  life  we  find  in  the  vast  within  the  more  life  we 
will  bring  forth  into  the  without.  All  the  life  that 
we  become  conscious  of  in  the  soul  we  will  express  in 
the  mind  and  the  body,  and  the  personal  self,  instead 
of  growing  weaker,  will  grow  stronger  and  stronger 
as  it  is  filled  more  and  more  with  life  and  power  from 
on  high.  And  thus,  by  losing  ourselves  in  Christ  we 
gain  everything  that  exists  in  the  supreme  life  of  the 
Christ;  we  lose  nothing,  sacrifice  nothing,  while  we 
find  ourselves— all  that  we  are  in  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  God. 

Live  a  beautiful  life  wherever  you  may  be  and  you 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  171 

become  a  living  benediction  to  all  who  may  pass  your 
way.  You  may  see  no  immediate  results;  in  fact, 
your  beautiful  life  may  have  scattered  its  blessings 
so  far  and  wide  that  you  cannot  find  the  exact  places 
where  the  flowers  grow  that  you  planted;  but  that 
does  not  matter.  You  have  given;  in  consequence, 
the  world  is  better  off  and  you  are  a  stronger  soul. 
You  know  that  not  a  single  good  deed  can  be  lost; 
somewhere  it  will  bless  somebody.  You  know  that, 
every  good  seed  that  you  may  sow  in  the  garden  of 
human  life,  will  some  day  take  root  and  grow.  You 
may  not  remain  long  enough  to  see  the  Sowers,  but 
somebody  will  see  those  flowers,  and  the  fact  that 
your  hand  planted  the  seed  is  pleasure  enough  for 
you.  To  feel  that  you  have  given  happiness  to  some- 
one else,  is  the  greatest  happiness  of  all;  and  to  know 
that  millions  will  be  inspired  by  the  sublimity  of  your 
life  ages  after  you  are  gone — could  anything  give  a 
deeper  joy  to  the  soul  ?  And  yet,  this  is  a  privilege 
that  is  not  given  only  to  the  few ;  there  is  not  a  soul 
that  may  not  look  forward  to  such  a  future  and  to 
such  a  life. 

To  be  perfectly  satisfied  to  let  your  light  shine 
wherever  you  may  go  without  ever  looking  back  to 
see  if  there  were  results  or  no,  is  the  mark  of  a  great 
soul.  So  long  as  we  do  not  wish  to  give  unless  we 
see  visible  results  in  exact  places,  our  spirituality  is 
not  of  the  greatest;  and  so  long  as  we  require  the  per- 
sonal testimony  of  those  whom  we  have  helped,  to 


172  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

spur  us  on,  our  faith  is  nothing.  He  who  has  the  true 
faith  knows  that  spiritual  living  is  a  power  wherever 
it  is  lived,  and  he  never  thinks  of  looking  back  to  find 
if  it  was  true.  He  scatters  the  seed  and  leaves  results 
to  Him  that  faileth  not.  He  radiates  the  good  and 
knows  that  that  which  is  good  can  never  cease  to  pro- 
duce good. 

When  you  realize  that  you  are  an  entity  through 
which  God  is  expressed,  and  that  your  mind  should 
be  so  transparent  that  the  highest  divine  light  may 
shine  through  and  illumine  the  outer  world,  you  have 
found  your  true  place.  To  remain  constantly  in  that 
beautiful  place  means  that  a  higher  power  will  be 
flowing  through  your  being,  radiating  in  every  direc- 
tion, giving  the  spirit  of  truth  to  everything  you  may 
think,  say  or  do.  You  thus  become  a  personal  expres- 
sion of  the  Word,  and  your  life  will  be  a  message  of 
truth  to  the  race. 


"Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world."  Do  not 
hide  your  spirituality  in  your  feelings  or  your 
emotions.  There  is  power  in  the  spirit.  Live 
this  power,  and  give  personal  expression  to  every- 
thing that  the  spirit  may  contain.  Then  you 
will  demonstrate  to  the  World  that  the  way  of 
the  spirit  is  the  true  Way.  When  you  are  lifted 
up,  hundreds  and  even  thousands  will  come  and 
go  where  you  are  going.  Therefore,  let  the  full 
glory  of  the  spirit  shine  in  your  life;  let  power 
from  on  high  manifest  itself  in  everything  that 
you  may  think  or  say  or  do,  and  great  shall  be 
your  reward,  both  in  this  world  and  in  the  world 
to  come.  The  spiritual  life  deprives  you  of  noth- 
ing that  has  real  worth,  and  gives  you  more  and 
more  of  everything  that  has  high  worth. 

"Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly."  There 
is  a  spiritual  side  to  everything;  enter  into  har- 
mony with  this  spiritual  side  and  the  discord 
that  seems  to  exist  on  the  personal  side  will  dis- 
appear. Forget  those  elements  that  are  at  vari- 
ance and  thinl(  only  of  those  states  that  are 
perfectly  at  one  with  each  other.  You  can 
easily  find  them;  we  find  everything  we  seek, 
and  whoever  goes  out  to  find  harmony  will  dis- 
cover that  there  is  more  harmony  in  the  world 
than  anything  else,  excepting  life  itself. 


CHAPTEEXVI 

HUMAN   NATURE  BECOMING  DIVINE   NATURE 

There  are  thousands  of  people  in  the  world  today 
who  have  undertaken  to  live  the  spiritual  life,  and  the 
majority  of  them  understand,  to  a  fair  degree,  the 
principles  upon  which  such  a  life  is  based;  neverthe- 
less, there  are  too  many  who  do  not  have  as  great  re- 
sults as  they  ought  to  have,  and  they  are  at  a  loss  to 
find  the  reason  why.  With  the  spiritual  wisdom 
which  we  now  possess,  we  ought  to  do  greater  things 
than  were  ever  known  upon  earth  before ;  we  ought  to 
be  able  to  overcome  every  wrong,  not  only  in  our  own 
lives,  but  also  in  the  lives  of  all  who  are  receptive  to 
our  spiritual  work ;  and  we  ought  to  realize  an  ever- 
increasing  abundance  of  infinite  good  and  infinite 
power  from  on  high.  We  ought  to  do  all  these  things 
and  much  more,  and  when  we  can  see  distinctly  where 
the  two  ways  part,  we  certainly  shall. 

When  we  know  that  we  have  such  an  exceptional 
opportunity  for  higher  usefulness  in  this  age,  we  can 
not  be  satisfied  simply  to  use  the  power  of  divine 
truth  for  the  attainment  of  physical  health  and  per- 
sonal prosperity.  There  are  other  and  greater  things 

175 


176 


to  work  for,  but  not  many  have  the  secret  path  to  the 
world  of  these  greater  things.  However,  the  reason 
why  is  simple ;  and  likewise,  the  reason  why  the  ma- 
jority do  not  secure  as  great  results  as  they  should  in 
the  lesser  things,  is  also  simple.  And  the  reason  is 
we  cannot  serve  two  masters;  we  cannot  take  two 
paths  at  the  same  time;  when  we  come  to  the  part- 
ing of  the  ways  we  must  take  the  one  that  leads  into 
light  and  forget  the  other  absolutely. 

When  we  learn  that  man  is  created  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God,  we  enter  a  new  realm  of  thought; 
we  have  made  a  new  discovery,  and  we  have  found 
another  way  to  think  and  live.  The  former  belief 
taught  us  to  think  and  live  as  a  sinner,  as  a  weak 
human  body;  the  new  truth  has  taught  us  to  live  as  a 
spiritual  being,  as  a  child  of  God,  as  a  strong,  perfect, 
divine  soul.  And  here  is  the  place  where  we  must  de- 
cide which  way  to  go,  as  it  is  not  possible  to  believe 
the  old  and  the  new  at  the  same  time  and  have  result ; 
nor  is  it  possible  to  believe  part  of  the  old  and  part 
of  the  new  at  the  same  time  and  realize  that  power  for 
good  that  the  new  may  contain. 

There  are  many  minds  who  believe  in  divine  truth, 
and  who  accept  fully  the  great  truth  that  man  is  the 
image  of  God,  but  still  continue  to  think  of  them- 
selves as  weak,  human  creatures.  When  the  difficult 
task  comes,  and  they  fail,  they  usually  become  dis- 
couraged, and  this  is  their  language :  ' '  Just  as  I  ex- 
pected; but  then  I  am, only  human,  only  a  weak,  frail, 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  177 

being,  not  able  to  cope  with  these  things;  some  day  I 
may  be  able  to  overcome,  but  as  yet  I  am  too  weak; 
I  must  not  expect  too  much  of  myself,  as  I  am  only 
human."  This  is  the  drift  of  the  thought  in  many  a 
mind,  and  it  explains  perfectly  why  they  have  not 
overcome  the  wrong  and  attained  the  good.  They  are 
trying  to  realize  the  perfection  of  the  divine  within 
while  recognizing  the  imperfection  of  the  human 
without.  They  expect  to  attain  divine  power  while 
persisting  in  living  in  the  world  of  human  weakness. 
They  are  trying  to  serve  both  the  truth  and  the  un- 
truth, but  we  cannot  realize  the  power  of  truth  until 
we  eliminate  the  untruth  completely. 

The  outer  has  seemed  to  be  the  only  reality  so  long 
that  the  mind  naturally  thinks  everything  existing  in 
the  outer  to  be  reality;  and  here  is  the  difficulty;  we 
think  the  outer  to  be  substantial  and  the  inner  to  be 
"mere  mental  mist,"  but  it  is  when  we  reverse  this 
belief  that  we  find  the  real  truth.  The  statement  that 
the  flesh  is  weak  has  been  a  race  thought  for  ages, 
and  it  comes  natural  to  think  of  the  flesh  as  weak; 
but  the  truth  is  that  the  flesh  is  weak  because  we  have 
made  it  so,  and  we  have  made  is  so  by  claiming 
human  weakness  as  our  heritage  instead  of  spiritual 
strength.  He  who  lives  constantly  in  the  conviction 
that  unbounded,  spiritual  strength  is  his  inheritance 
now,  will  never  for  one  moment  feel  tEat  the  flesh  is 
weak.  The  flesh  is  what  we  make  it,  and  it  is  just  as 
easy  to  make  it  strong  as  to  make  it  weak.  Think 


178  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

that  you  are  a  weak,  frail,  human  creature  and  the 
flesh  will  become  the  dwelling  place  of  weakness ;  but 
know  that  you  are  a  strong,  invincible,  eternal  soul, 
and  the  flesh  will  become  the  very  embodiment  of 
strength,  and  will  be  filled  with  life  and  power  from 
on  high. 

We  may  philosophize  learnedly  about  the  beauty 
of  spiritual  thought,  but  that  will  serve  no  purpose 
unless  the  truth  that  is  contained  in  our  spiritual 
thought  is  stamped  upon  every  word  we  express.  We 
all  realize  the  power  of  words ;  whenever  we  speak  we 
send  a  life  current  through  every  part  of  the  body; 
and  if  the  words  spoken  are  the  expressions  of  mate- 
rial belief  we  give  conditions  of  weakness  to  the  body, 
and  at  times  even  disease.  When  we  stamp  every 
word,  not  with  human  thought,  but  with  divine 
thought,  every  word  will  convey  to  the  person  the 
very  spirit  of  life,  power  and  wholeness.  Through  the 
power  of  speech  a  person  can  bring  upon  himself 
every  wrong  in  the  world;  and  through  the  same 
power  he  can  bring  upon  himself  every  good  in  the 
world.  Through  the  right  use  of  words,  uttered  or 
unexpressed,  a  person  can  attain  or  obtain  anything. 
Words  are  living  forces;  they  create  according  to 
their  nature,  and  they  attract  their  kind.  When  we 
become  as  scrupulous  about  our  words  as  we  are 
about  our  clothes  we  shall  become  a  superior  race. 

The  parting  of  the  ways  is  found  where  we  can  see 
the  difference  between  human  expression  and  divine 


179 

expression.  So  long  as  our  expressions  are  stamped 
with  the  belief  that  we  are  weak,  frail  or  "only  hu- 
man," we  shall  continue  in  weakness  and  in  that 
smallness  of  character  that  we  call  human  nature. 
But  human  nature  is  simply  an  undeveloped  condi- 
tion; it  is  not  a  permanent  factor  in  human  existence; 
it  seems  to  be  permanent  simply  because  practically 
no  effort  has  been  given  to  the  unfoldrnent  and  ex- 
pression of  man's  divine  nature.  To  say  that  we  are 
"human"  and  that  we  must  ever  remain  so  in  this 
world  is  not  only  the  untruth,  but  such  expressions 
give  weakness  and  adverse  conditions  to  the  per- 
sonal life.  We  cause  the  flesh  to  become  weak  and 
remain  weak  by  living  in  the  belief  that  we  are  mere 
human  creatures,  and  therefore  when  we  meet  adver- 
sity we  'fall  down,"  become  sick,  or  otherwise  man- 
ifest the  imperfection  of  that  life  that  is  lived  apart 
from  the  spirit. 

When  we  take  the  other  path,  however,  and  begin 
to  recognize  our  divine  nature  as  our  only  nature, 
there  will  soon  be  a  change  in  events.  When  this 
path  is  taken  we  recognize  limitations  no  more,  and 
the  term  "can  not"  is  forgotten.  You  never  again 
permit  yourself  to  say  that  you  are  sick,  tired,  lim- 
ited, easily  tempted  or  merely  human.  Such  expres- 
sions you  simply  will  not  employ  under  any  circum- 
stances whatever.  You  know  your  divine  nature,  and 
every  thought  you  think  and  every  word  you  speak 
must  express  what  you  know  to  be  true.  Your  every 


180  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

expression  of  mind,  tongue  or  being  thrills  with  the 
life  and  the  power  of  eternal  spirit.  Regardless  of 
obstacles  or  adverse  events,  you  stand  by  your  con- 
victions of  truth  whatever  may  happen  or  no.  It 
matters  not  to  you  what  happens  in  the  exterior.  You 
are  not  an  exterior  being;  you  are  a  spiritual  being, 
created  in  the  image  of  God.  Nothing  that  happens 
can  affect  you,  disturb  you,  or  even  touch  you;  you 
are  in  Him,  in  everlasting  safety.  You  live  in  the 
spirit;  you  know  what  is  true  in  the  spirit,  and  you 
think  and  speak  accordingly  every  moment  of  your 
endless  existence.  Ere  long  the  word  of  truth  be- 
comes a  living  power  in  body,  mind  and  soul,  and 
your  entire  being  becomes  a  perfect  expression  of 
that  Divine  Word  that  is  of  God. 

There  is  a  strong  tendency  to  compromise  with  the 
undeveloped  side  of  the  person  whenever  we  fail  to 
demonstrate  the  absolute  power  of  the  spirit.  But 
this  must  never  be  permitted.  No  matter  how  many 
times  you  fail  in  the  person  do  not  admit  that  you 
are  weak.  You  are  not  the  person ;  you  are  the  soul— 
the  perfect  image  of  God,  and  the  image  of  God  is  su- 
preme strength  regardless  of  what  may  happen  in  the 
person.  Continue  to  think  the  absolute  truth,  even  in 
the  midst  of  sickness,  failure,  trouble  and  want,  and 
those  things  will  soon  depart  never  to  return  any 
more. 


Father  I  am  one  with  thee. 

One  through  all  eternity; 
One  forever  In  the  past, 

One  as  long  as  time  shall  last. 
Thou  in  me  and  I  in  thee, 

Life  of  endless  unity; 
This  my  dearest  song  shall  be. 

Father,  I  am  one  with  thee. 


Father,  I  am  one  with  ihee. 

Sweetest  thought  of  truth  to  me. 
I  am  filled  with  life  divine. 

Therefore  boundless  good  is  mine 
All  my  life  is  lived  in  thee. 

Perfect  life  of  harmony; 
This  my  highest  thought  shall  be, 

Father,  I  am  one  with  thee. 


CHAPTER  XVH 


There  never  existed  an  awakened  soul  that  did  not 
believe  in  a  spiritual  state  of  being;  and  there  never 
existed  a  soul  in  any  condition  of  human  understand- 
ing that  did  not  have  glimpses,  at  times,  of  what  ap- 
peared to  be  another  world.  To  those  who  had  sim- 
ply gained  the  simplest  form  of  human  consciousness, 
this  other  world  seemed  to  be  far  away,  a  place  we 
could  not  inherit  until  we  had  taken  our  departure 
from  this  visible  state  of  existence;  but  to  those  who 
were  on  the  verge  of  spiritual  consciousness,  this 
other  world  was  not  a  far  away  place.  Those  awak- 
ened souls  could  discern  that  it  was  a  spiritual  realm 
in  which  all  might  dwell  to-day— the  kingdom  of 
heaven  that  is  ever  at  hand. 

This  other  world  is  the  soul  of  the  universe,  perme- 
ating the  limitless  vastness  of  the  entire  cosmos.  It 
is  the  sublime  essence  of  all  reality,  the  real  reality 
of  all  that  is;  it  is  the  infinite  spiritual  sea  in  which 
we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being,  the  divine 
counterpart  of  everything  that  was,  is,  or  is  to  be. 
It  is  that  world  which  we  find  on  the  supreme  heights 

183 


184  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

of  all  existence,  and  is  therefore  the  cosmic  world, 
orderly,  harmonious,  complete,  perfect,  transcendent, 
infinite,  divine.  To  live  in  this  cosmic  world  is  to 
view  the  entire  universe  from  the  heights,  and  from 
that  sublime  view  everything  is  beautiful  and  all  is 
good.  Therefore,  the  life  of  the  cosmic  is  a  life  of 
perfected  being,  everlasting  peace  and  eternal  joy. 
It  is  the  life  victorious— the  life  of  the  spirit— that 
every  exalted  soul  has  revealed  to  man,  but  it  is  not 
a  life  that  is  apart  from  personal  existence ;  it  is  the 
soul  of  personal  existence. 

The  cosmic  world  permeates  the  physical  world  as 
spirit  permeates  substance;  and  what  the  physical 
world  is  to  the  body,  the  cosmic  world  is  to  the  soul. 
According  to  the  true  purpose  of  life,  the  body  should 
live  in  the  physical  world,  enjoying  everything  that 
is  good  and  beautiful  in  personal  existence ;  while  the 
soul  should  live  in  the  cosmic  world,  enjoying  every- 
thing that  is  good  and  beautiful  in  spiritual  exist- 
ence. This  is  complete  existence,  but  the  soul  cannot 
consciously  live  in  the  cosmic  until  it  is  awakened,  or 
until  it  has  become  conscious  of  its  own  exalted  di- 
vinity. 

The  awakening  of  the  soul  into  the  world  of  its 
own  spiritual  nature,  will  not  deprive  the  body  of 
anything  that  is  worthy  in  physical  life.  We  are  not 
required  to  leave  the  physical  to  enjoy  the  spiritual, 
nor  is  it  necessary  to  sacrifice  anything  that  can  add 
to  the  welfare  of  the  body  in  order  to  inherit  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  185 

riches  of  the  soul.  The  greatest  good  comes  into  the 
whole  of  life  only  when  the  body  lives  a  complete  phy- 
sical life  and  the  soul  a  complete  spiritual  life.  The 
soul  cannot  fully  express  itself  unless  physical  exist- 
ence is  all  that  it  can  be  on  the  physical  plane,  and 
the  body  is  not  fully  alive  until  the  soul  is  awakened 
on  the  spiritual  plane.  We  do  not  appreciate  the 
beauty  of  the  physical  until  we  are  illumined  by  the 
light  of  the  spiritual,  and  we  cannot  comprehend  the 
marvelousness  of  the  visible  world  until  we  can  see 
its  splendor  and  vastness  from  the  supreme  heights 
of  the  cosmic  world. 

We  must  live  in  the  cosmic  world  before  we  can 
live  real  life  in  any  world.  It  is  the  soul  of  existence 
that  unfolds  the  real  beauty,  the  real  worth  and  the 
real  joy  of  every  form  of  existence,  but  we  do  not  be- 
come conscious  of  the  soul  of  existence  until  we  begin 
to  live  in  the  cosmic  world.  We  cannot  realize  the 
fullness  of  life  until  we  live  in  the  source  of  life,  and 
the  source  of  life  is  spiritual.  All  life  comes  from 
above,  therefore  the  nearer  we  live  to  that  which  is 
above,  the  more  life  we  shall  receive  until  we  inherit 
real  life  itself— the  life  of  the  spirit— the  life  that  is 
lived  in  the  full  consciousness  of  divine  being.  When 
we  live  almost  wholly  in  the  personal  we  live  only  in 
part,  but  when  we  live  in  the  full  consciousness  of  the 
spiritual  as  well  as  the  personal,  that  which  is  in  part 
passes  away  and  the  limitless  life  is  realized  instead. 


186  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

It  is  then  that  we  inherit  the  life  more  abundant,  and 
everything  that  life  has  the  power  to  give. 

To  live  in  the  cosmic  world  is  to  realize  the  purity 
and  the  absoluteness  of  the  spiritual,  the  divinity  of 
man's  real  nature  and  the  absolute  perfection  of  his 
true  being.  It  is  to  know  the  truth  about  man—  the 
truth  that  he  is  created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  and  it  is  the  knowing  of  this  truth  that  makes 
man  free,  that  produces  complete  emancipation.  To 
enter  into  the  cosmic  world,  therefore,  is  to  enter 
into  freedom,  health,  harmony  and  wholeness,  and,  in 
brief,  everything  that  promotes  the  highest  good  for 
body,  mind  and  soul.  The  cosmic  life  is  the  apex  of 
all  ascending  life,  the  fulfillment  of  every  true  desire 
in  life,  the  realization  of  everything  that  is  ideal  in 
life,  the  attainment  of  the  one  supreme  goal  in  the  liv- 
ing of  divine  life.  To  live  in  the  cosmic  is  to  live  in 
the  world  of  the  great  within,  in  the  highest  state  of 
being,  in  the  life  of  the  soul,  in  tune  with  the  Infinite, 
in  the  secret  places  of  the  Most  High. 

To  enter  the  cosmic  world  is  to  ascend  to  the 
heights  and  live  the  spiritual  life.  The  living  of  the 
spiritual  life  means  the  overcoming  of  spiritual  death, 
and  it  is  spiritual  death  that  must  be  overcome  before 
man  can  receive  his  inheritance,  here  or  hereafter. 
The  phenomena  of  physical  death  need  not  concern 
ns ;  its  coming  produces  no  permanent  effect  upon  real 
existence,  nor  is  anything  gained  by  prolonging  per- 
sonal existence  so  long  as  the  soul  is  dead  to  spiritual 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  187 

existence.  It  is  spiritual  life  that  gives  real  worth  to 
personal  life,  and  it  is  the  life  of  the  living  soul  that 
prolongs  indefinitely  the  life  of  the  living  body. 

When  the  soul  is  not  awakened,  consciousness  lives 
in  a  condition  of  spiritual  death  and  mental  darkness. 
The  mind  is  deprived  of  the  guidance  of  the  spirit, 
and  therefore  follows  blindly  the  changing  desires  of 
the  flesh,  those  desires  that  are  suggested  by  the 
world  of  things.  In  consequence,  the  person  is  al- 
most buried  in  materiality,  and  goes  wrong  more  fre- 
quently than  otherwise,  usually  not  knowing  the  rea- 
son why.  The  result  is  sickness,  trouble  and  adver- 
sity, or  the  sum  total  of  the  ills  of  life.  The  real  cause 
of  all  these  ills  is  spiritual  death,  and  the  great,  infal- 
lible remedy  is  the  spiritual  life.  The  ills  of  life  are 
produced  by  the  mind  going  wrong,  but  the  mind  will 
not  go  wrong  when  it  is  led  by  the  spirit,  and  the 
mind  invariably  is  led  by  the  spirit  when  we  live  in 
the  life  of  the  spirit. 

The  higher  we  ascend  in  the  true  light  of  the 
spiritual  life  the  more  clearly  we  can  see  how  to  so 
live  that  we  may  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  all  the 
principles  and  laws  of  life.  Our  sins  will  cease,  our 
mistakes  will  diminish,  and  consequently,  ill  effects 
will  become  more  and  more  insignificant  until  we  can 
truthfully  say  that  we  have  gained  complete  emanci- 
pation. When  we  live  in  the  spirit  we  live  in  the 
light,  and  when  we  live  in  the  light  we  will  not  go 
wrong.  We  can  then  see  where  to  find  the  greatest 


188  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

good,  and  no  person  will  seek  the  lesser  after  having 
learned  where  to  find  the  greater. 

When  consciousness  acts  almost  entirely  in  condi- 
tions of  spiritual  death,  nearly  every  action  is  at  vari- 
ance with  the  true  order  of  things;  in  consequence, 
confusion,  darkness  and  the  downfall  of  the  person 
follows.  We  always  go  down  when  darkness  becomes 
our  only  guide,  and  as  the  spiritual  light  is  the  only 
guiding  light,  we  will  continue  to  go  down  so  long  as 
the  spirit  is  not  awakened.  When  spiritual  death  be- 
gins, downfall  begins,  not  only  in  the  lives  of  individ- 
uals, but  also  in  the  lives  of  nations,  races  and  sys- 
tems of  thought.  Therefore,  the  overcoming  of  spirit- 
ual death  is  the  great  hope  of  the  world.  It  is  this 
alone  that  can  lead  us  out  of  the  Egypt  of  sin,  sick- 
ness, adversity  and  pain,  into  the  promised  land  of 
peace,  wholeness,  happiness,  freedom,  power  and 
truth.  It  is  the  awakening  of  the  spirit  that  will 
take  men  and  nations  out  of  the  powers  of  darkness, 
and  place  the  whole  of  mankind  upon  those  sublime 
heights  where  we  shall  live  a  life  that  is  befitting  the 
Sons  of  God. 

The  spiritualization  of  the  world  means  the  real 
salvation  of  the  world;  not  salvation  for  the  future 
alone  but  also  salvation  from  sin,  sickness  and  adver- 
sity now.  When  spiritualization  begins,  the  mind  is 
given  a  light,  and  that  light  invariably  leads  upward 
and  onward  into  better  things.  To  spiritualize  the 
mind,  the  soul  must  be  awakened,  and  to  awaken  the 


189 


soul  is  to  overcome  and  eliminate  the  conditions  of 
spiritual  death.  Then  real  life  begins— the  life  of  an 
emancipated  personal  existence  harmoniously  blend- 
ed with  the  life  of  an  exalted  spiritual  existence.  To 
awaken  the  soul,  every  act  of  consciousness  must  be 
animated  with  a  strong,  deeply  felt  desire  to  reach  the 
heights ;  the  eye  must  be  kept  single  upon  the  supreme 
spiritual  goal,  and  very  thought  must  be  formed  by 
the  highest  spiritual  understanding  that  can  possibly 
be  realized.  To  live  must  be  the  one  ruling  purpose, 
and  that  purpose  must  be  inspired  by  the  spiritual 
touch  of  that  life  that  we  know  to  be  eternal  life. 

To  awaken  the  soul  and  illumine  the  mind  with  the 
light  of  the  spirit,  one  of  the  great  essentials  is  to  live 
by  faith.  To  live  by  faith  is  to  place  your  entire  life, 
and  everything  that  pertains  to  your  life,  in  the  hands 
of  Supreme  Power.  This  means  that  your  life  will  be 
drawn  towards  the  heights,  because  Supreme  Power 
is  ever  ascending  towards  greater  and  greater 
heights.  It  also  means  that  all  things  that  pertain  to 
your  life  will  work  together  for  the  greatest  good, 
because  it  is  the  purpose  of  Supreme  Power  to  pro- 
duce the  greatest  good.  Whatever  is  placed  in  the 
hands  of  this  power  will  be  inspired  and  guided  by 
this  power,  and  consequently  will  do  what  this  power 
is  doing,  that  is,  working  in  harmony  with  everything 
to  produce  the  greatest  good. 

The  secret  of  faith  is  therefore  simple,  and  we  can 
readily  understand  why  all  things  become  possible  to 


190  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

him  who  has  real  faith.  Supreme  Power  can  do  all 
things,  and  he  who  has  faith  places  his  life,  his  pur- 
pose, his  plans,  his  desires— everything,  in  the  hands 
of  Supreme  Power.  That  he  should  fail  is  impossible. 
When  the  Supreme  is  with  us  nothing  can  be  against 
us,  and  the  Supreme  is  with  us  when  we  place  our- 
selves absolutely  in  the  hands  of  His  power. 

When  we  live  by  faith,  we  are  constantly  on  the 
verge  of  the  great  spiritual  world,  because  the  power 
into  which  we  have  given  everything,  is  the  power  of 
the  spiritual  world.  We  are  living,  thinking  and  act- 
ing in  constant  recognition  of  the  Supreme  Power  of 
the  spirit,  and  are  therefore  constantly  being  touched 
by  the  spirit,  and  there  is  nothing  that  is  more  con- 
ducive to  spiritual  awakening  than  this  tender  touch 
of  the  spirit.  To  feel,  through  and  through,  that  His 
presence  is  closer  than  breathing,  nearer  than  hands 
and  feet,  is  to  arouse  every  spiritual  element  in  our 
nature,  and  the  soul  will  come  forth  into  life  clothed 
with  the  sublime  glory  of  its  own  inherent  divinity. 
Then  we  shall  ascend  into  God's  own  beautiful  world, 
and  the  life  on  the  heights  will  begin. 


When  the  soul  discerns  that  My  Father  and 
I  are  One,  the  door  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
within  will  be  opened.  To  be  with  God  is  to 
be  in  heaven,  and  this  is  a  privilege  that  any 
soul  may  enjoy  now  while  yet  in  personal  form. 

To  simply  hope  for  health  and  freedom  is 
to  remain  in  our  present  condition  however  ad- 
verse that  condition  may  be.  But  when  we  have 
faith  in  that  power  that  can  give  us  health  and 
freedom  we  enter  into  the  very  life  of  that  power, 
and  we  are  healed  at  once.  Faith  moves  on  and 
on  and  enters  directly  into  the  very  condition  that 
is  desired;  it  never  ceases  to  press  on  until  it  is 
in  the  presence  of  that  which  is  wanted,  and 
therefore  we  can  never  fail.  Hope  stands  on 
the  outside;  faith  Walks  in;  hope  waits  to  be 
guided;  faith  trusts  its  own  light  and  proceeds; 
hope  waits  for  the  right  opportunity;  faith  creates 
its  own  opportunity;  hope  waits  to  see  the  solid 
rock  appearing  from  out  the  seeming  void;  faith 
goes  out  upon  the  seeming  void  and  finds  the  solid 
rock;  hope  stands  upon  the  earth  eagerly  looking 
towards  the  heavens;  faith  mounts  upon  the 
wings  of  the  spirit  and  ascends  to  the  highest 
heavens. 


CHAPTER  xvrn 

A  FORETASTE  OF  HEAVEN 

How  to  enter  the  silence  is  a  problem  that  con- 
fronts every  earnest  seeker  for  that  higher  state  of 
being,  that  more  beautiful  world  of  peace  and  joy, 
that  inner  realm  where  all  is  well,  that  secret  place 
where  dwells  the  soul  with  God.  Prophets,  illumined 
minds  and  great  souls  of  every  age  have  discovered 
that  there  exists  a  hidden  somewhere  in  the  cosmic 
life  of  man,  the  finding  of  which  means  the  full  reali- 
zation of  all  the  hopes  of  human  life.  In  this  inner 
realm  there  is  healing  for  all  ills,  there  is  the  peace 
that  passeth  understanding,  the  joy  everlasting,  and 
light,  wisdom  and  power  without  end.  To  enter  this 
sacred  chamber  of  the  soul  is  to  find  the  answer  to 
every  prayer,  the  long  sought  fulfillment  of  every 
heart's  desire;  whatever  the  soul  has  longed  for,  the 
same  will  be1  found  in  this  inner  sanctuary  of  eternal 
life ;  and  the  path  has  been  called  the  silence. 

The  will  of  the  Father  is  to  give  us  the  kingdom; 
but  we  must  go  to  Him  if  we  would  receive  what  is 
prepared  for  them  that  love  Him.  But  how  shall  we 
go  to  God?  We  seem  to  be  away  from  Him.  There 

193 


194  THE  PATHWAY  OF  BOSES 

seems  to  be  a  gulf  between  our  own  life  and  the  In- 
finite life.  To  bridge  this  gulf  is  the  great  need  of  the 
soul,  and  the  silence  seems  to  answer  this  need. 
Therefore,  to  know  how  to  enter  the  silence  becomes 
a  great  secret,  both  in  the  living  of  daily  life  and  in 
the  attainment  of  supreme  spiritual  life.  To  simply 
believe  availeth  nothing;  we  must  actually  go  to  God 
if  we  would  receive  what  eternity  holds  in  store.  All 
things  come  from  God,  and  he  who  enters  into  the 
presence  of  God  will  receive  all  that  God  can  give. 
To  go  to  God  is  to  enter  into  the  stillness  of  the  spirit, 
into  the  silence  of  those  secret  places  where  the  In- 
finite reigns  in  glory,  where  the  Christ  is  enthroned 
On  High. 

Be  still  and  know  that  I  am  God.  This  is  the  way, 
and  no  other  path  can  be  found.  There  are  many 
who  are  trying  to  climb  up  some  other  way,  but  they 
will  not  find  what  they  seek.  The  straight  and  nar- 
row path  alone  leads  to  the  Father's  House.  But 
there  are  few  who  find  it,  because  the  many  try  to 
reach  the  spirit  without  becoming  spiritual.  Man  ex- 
pects to  gain  the  gifts  of  the  spirit  through  methods, 
but  never  will  he  find  the  kingdom  in  this  way.  He 
alone  receives  the  gifts  of  the  spirit  who  becomes 
spiritual.  He  alone  enters  the  kingdom  who  will  live 
the  life  of  the  kingdom. 

There  are  many  who  believe  that  psychical  expe- 
riences constitute  the  "gates  ajar"  to  the  spiritual 
kingdom  within,  and  multitudes  have  been  lost  in 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  195 

this  sea  of  darkness  and  confusion.  Such  experi- 
ences never  lead  the  soul  to  the  kingdom,  but  they 
are,  in  many  instances,  the  only  obstacles  in  the  way. 
So  long  as  a  person  encourages  those  experiences  and 
permits  himself  to  be  led  by  strange  signs,  he  will  re- 
main in  the  without,  and  will  suffer  the  usual  ills  of 
material  man.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  does  not  come 
by  observation,  neither  tangible  observations  nor 
mysterious  observations.  The  kingdom  is  found  only 
in  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  does  not  manifest  itself  in 
strange  signs,  but  in  the  great  and  beautiful  life. 
Jesus  taught  the  existence  of  a  spiritual  realm  within 
man,  and  emphasized  again  and  again  the  necessity 
of  living  in  this  higher  state  if  we  would  receive  what 
real  life  can  give.  In  this  age,  the  entering  of  this 
secret  place — the  inner  chamber  of  the  soul,  has  been 
called  the  silence,  or  the  true  prayer  of  illumined 
faith —  the  prayer  that  not  only  asks  of  God  but  real- 
izes eternal  oneness  with  God.  It  is  the  prayer  that 
is  uttered  in  silence  that  is  answered;  it  is  the  truth 
that  is  realized  in  the  silence  that  gives  freedom, 
peace  and  wholeness  to  man. 

To  enter  the  silence  is  to  enter  God's  world,  where 
everything  is  created  in  the  image  of  God  and  mani- 
fests the  likeness  of  God.  To  be  in  the  silence  is  to 
know  that  you  are  spirit.  To  be  in  the  silence  is  to 
know  and  feel  that  God  is  omnipresent  and  that  you 
are  one  with  God.  To  be  in  the  silence  is  to  actually 
be  in  the  life  eternal,  and  realize  the  divinity,  the 


196 


goodness  and  the  perfection  of  all  things.  To  enter 
the  silence  is  to  enter  that  sublime  state  where  you 
know  that  God  is  in  His  Holy  Temple  and  that  all  the 
world  is  silent  before  Him. 

To  enter  the  silence  is  not  to  have  certain  strange 
mental  experiences  for  the  space  of  a  half  an  hour. 
You  may  have  visions,  you  may  realize  the  seeming 
reality  of  mystical  realms,  you  may  project  thought, 
you  may  communicate  with  minds  that  are  far  away, 
you  may  have  all  kinds  of  super-physical  sensations 
in  mind  and  body ;  you  may  seemingly  leave  the  form 
and  be  conscious  of  other  worlds;  you  may  imagine 
that  your  body  is  ether  and  that  you  can  float  upon 
the  air;  you  may  go  into  ecstacy  and  seem  to  receive 
wonderful  revelations ;  you  may  have  all  of  these  ex- 
periences and  many  more,  some  of  them  real,  some  of 
them  not,  and  never  be  in  the  silence  for  a  single  mo- 
ment. 

To  enter  the  silence  is  to  actually  go  to  God;  to 
enter  into  His  presence  and  to  know  that  He  is  ever 
with  you.  To  enter  the  silence  is  to  walk  with  God; 
to  feel  that  His  spirit  protects  you,  leads  you  and 
keeps  you,  and  that  nothing  but  good  can  possibly 
come.  To  enter  the  silence  is  to  awaken  to  the  great 
truth  that  all  that  is  real  is  good.  To  enter  the  si- 
lence is  to  become  conscious  of  that  cosmic  state  of 
existence  where  there  is  neither  evil,  sickness  nor  sin; 
where  all  is  perfect  and  good;  where  life  lacks  noth- 
ing, and  where  the  fullness  of  Infinite  life  reigns  su- 


197 

premely  through  the  all  in  all.  To  enter  the  silence 
is  to  see  the  soul-side  of  all  things,  to  come  face  to 
face  with  the  eternal,  the  changeless,  the  absolutely 
divine.  In  the  silence  you  never  look  for  experiences ; 
you  are  above  the  world  of  experience ;  you  are  not  in 
the  presence  of  the  passing;  you  are  in  the  presence 
of  the  sublime  stillness  of  that  which  ever  and  ever  is 
as  God  is.  When  you  are  in  a  quiet  state  and  have 
experiences  you  are  not  in  the  silence ;  but  when  pass- 
ing thoughts  are  forgotten,  and  you  find  yourself 
face  to  face  with  the  sublime  stillness  of  eternal  life, 
then  you  are  in  the  silence.  In  that  state  all  is  silent 
and  still;  nothing  is  passing;  all  is;  all  is  in  Him;  and 
all  is  illumined  with  the  light  and  the  glory  of  His 
radiant  presence.  Divine  moments.  Beautiful  be- 
yond human  comprehension.  A  foretaste  of  heaven. 
A  glimpse  of  the  Many  Mansions.  Alone  with  God 
and  the  Great  White  Throne. 

To  enter  the  silence  there  are  no  special  methods, 
but  there  are  many  things,  which  if  done,  will  pre- 
pare the  way.  The  first  of  these  is  to  live  the  life  of 
the  spirit  every  day  as  far  as  you  know;  live  in  the 
spirit  of  the  prayer  without  ceasing,  and  desire  eter- 
nally the  coming  forth  of  the  soul.  And  inspire  this 
desire  with  the  great  truth  that  your  soul  is  the 
throne  of  God.  When  the  soul  comes  forth  the  Word 
becomes  flesh,  the  perfection  of  divinity  manifests  in 
personal  form,  and  the  Mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus 
the  same  Mind  will  be  in  you.  Every  day  for  a  few 


198  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

moments  be  alone  with  the  Most  High.  Let  those  mo- 
ments be  sacred,  and  think  only  of  Him.  Do  not  per- 
mit another  thought  to  enter  consciousness.  Fill  your 
being  through  and  through  with  such  strong  spiritual 
aspirations  that  the  thought  of  the  Infinite  reigns 
supremely  in  your  mind.  Try  to  realize  His  presence, 
His  life  and  His  love.  Give  yourself  up  wholly  to 
God,  and  know  that  you  are  absolutely  in  His  care. 
Enter  so  deeply  into  the  spirit  of  this  realization  that 
you  can  actually  feel  divine  nearness— that  God  is 
closer  to  you  than  your  own  life.  To  feel  this  is  to 
enter  into  the  greatest  joy  of  sublime  existence.  To 
be  touched  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  if  but  for  a  single 
moment,  produces  a  million  thrills  of  divine  ecstacy, 
and  so  great  is  the  joy  that  one  short  moment  feels  as 
if  it  were  an  eternity.  In  brief,  when  you  are  in  that 
sublime  state  you  are  in  real  eternity;  time  passes  no 
more;  every  moment  appears  to  be  an  eternity  be- 
cause it  is  in  eternity;  and  being  in  eternity  it  gives 
to  you  an  eternity  of  bliss— unbounded  bliss  from  the 
highest  heaven. 

There  is  nothing  that  will  prepare  the  way  to  this 
sublime  spiritual  silence  more  than  this— to  give  a 
few  moments  every  day  to  God,  to  think  of  Him  only, 
and  to  think  of  Him  with  your  whole  life,  with  your 
whole  strength,  with  your  whole  mind,  with  your 
whole  heart  and  with  your  whole  soul.  To  give  up  to 
God  is  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  receive  everything  that  God 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  199 

has  to  give.  To  give  up  everything  for  God  is  to  re- 
ceive everything  from  God.  To  place  everything  in 
the  hands  of  God  is  to  be  guided  and  led  by  the  hands 
of  God,  and  God  leads  man  into  every  good  that  the 
mind  can  imagine.  God  leads  out  of  the  lesser  into 
the  greater,  out  of  limitations  into  the  richness  of  the 
boundless,  out  of  mere  existence  into  the  glories  and 
splendors  of  empyrean  heights.  And  it  is  the  purpose 
of  the  silence  to  so  deepen  the  consciousness  of  the 
spiritual  life  that  we  may  live  eternally  in  the  very 
presence  of  God.  Thus  we  shall  ever  walk  with  God 
and  be  guided  by  Him  in  all  things. 

To  consecrate  your  entire  being  to  the  spiritual  life 
and  so  live  that  everything  you  do  draws  you  higher 
and  higher  into  the  very  world  of  the  spirit— this  is 
another  essential  to  the  attainment  of  the  true  silence. 
When  your  life  is  consecrated  to  the  spirit,  all  the 
powers  of  your  being  will  constantly  ascend  towards 
the  supreme  heights  of  the  spirit.  Thus  you  become 
more  and  more  spiritual,  and  to  be  truly  spiritual  is 
to  be  able  to  enter  the  secret  places  at  any  time. 
Another  important  essential  is  to  live  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  divine  side  of  all  things.  Never  for 
a  moment  permit  the  mind  to  forget  that  there  is  a 
divine  side  to  everything  in  existence.  No  matter 
how  imperfect  things  may  seem  to  be  on  the  surface, 
know  that  there  is  another  and  a  better  side,  even  to 
the  least  of  these ;  and  do  not  for  a  moment  lose  sight 
of  the  great  truth  that  that  better  side  is  created  in 


200  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

His  image  and  likeness.  This  lofty  mode  of  thought 
and  life  will  not  interfere  in  the  least  with  the  duties 
of  every-day  life,  but  will,  instead,  make  all  work  and 
all  life  a  great  joy.  To  work  when  the  mind  is  in  the 
spirit  is  to  work  both  wisely  and  well ;  and  when  you 
ascend  to  the  supreme  heights  of  the  spirit  your  work 
becomes  a  great  work.  To  live  in  the  spirit  is  not  to 
live  apart  from  visible  things,  but  to  gain  far  greater 
mastery  of  things,  and  thus  gain  the  power  to  do  far 
greater  things.  To  live  in  the  silence  is  not  to  live  in 
a  dream ;  it  is  not  to  become  oblivious  to  the  realities 
of  tangible  existence,  but  to  inspire  tangible  exist- 
ence with  all  the  power,  with  all  the  life,  with  all  the 
truth,  and  with  all  of  the  beautiful  that  the  soul  can 
find  when  it  soars  to  celestial  realms  on  high.  The 
purpose  of  the  silence  is  to  unite  the  world  of  things 
with  the  world  of  spirit,  and  thus  give  the  fairest  life 
in  all  the  world  to  body,  mind  and  soul. 


Sun  of  my  soul,  eternal  light, 

Be  thou  my  leader  and  my  guide. 

And  I  shall  ever  find  the  right 
By  walking  truly  by  thy  side. 


Tho*  clouds  of  doubt  may  hover  near. 
Darkness  and  wrong  obstruct  my  way. 

My  faith  in  thee  shall  banish  fear. 
And  give  my  soul  the  light  of  day. 


Upward  and  onward  I  shall  rise. 

Treading  the  path  of  truth  and  right, 

Passing    through    Cod's   celestial   skies, 
Led  by  the  Spirit  of  His  Light. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  VISION  OF  THE  SOUL 

Faith  is  the  " gates  ajar"  to  the  Holy  City,  to  the 
world  celestial,  to  the  many  mansions,  to  the  spiritual 
realms,  to  the  beautiful  life,  to  the  inexhaustible 
source  of  all  that  is  good.  Faith  is  the  path  that  leads 
to  the  soul's  inheritance  of  all  that  the  heart  has 
prayed  for,  and  to  follow  this  path  is  to  have  faith 
in  faith. 

Thousands  have  undertaken  to  live  by  faith,  but 
not  having  sufficient  faith  in  faith  have  too  soon 
adopted  a  different  course.  In  the  beginning  of  the 
spiritual  life  it  is  so  easy  to  forget  the  vision  of  the 
soul,  so  easy  to  follow  the  dictates  of  the  senses  when 
this  vision  has  seemingly  faded  away.  And  the  cause 
is  we  have  not  sufficient  faith  in  faith. 

When  we  begin  to  live  by  faith  we  must  have  suf- 
ficient faith  to  go  on  and  on,  no  matter  how  many  ob- 
stacles or  failures  we  may  meet  at  first.  Temptations 
are  numerous  and  the  soul  that  has  resolved  to  em- 
ploy spiritual  methods  in  all  things  must  be  able  to 
deal  with  the  tempter  as  Jesus  did.  But  this  is  not 
impossible,  because  the  mind  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus, 
the  same  mind  is  in  you. 

203 


204  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

The  greatest  obstacle  is  the  intended  kindness  of 
friends.  They  have  our  welfare  at  heart,  and  wish 
to  do  everything  they  can  to  promote  that  welfare; 
but  they  almost  invariably  employ  the  ways  of  the 
world;  they  do  not  know  that  faith  is  always  suffici- 
ent. Here  is  a  place  where  much  strength  is  required. 
Here  is  the  real  parting  of  the  ways,  and  the  problem 
is,  will  you  listen  to  those  who  love  you  with  the  love 
that  knows  not  the  way,  or  will  you  depend  upon 
faith  alone?  Will  you  accept  the  kindness  of  the 
world  or  the  unbounded  love  and  the  limitless  power 
of  the  Infinite?  Whoever  loves  brother  or  sister 
more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me.  Also,  if  thy  right 
hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off.  It  is  better  to  lose  every- 
thing that  is  near  and  dear  than  to  lose  faith,  but  so 
long  as  we  continue  in  faith,  giving  faith  the  first 
thought,  and  having  abundant  faith  in  faith,  we  shall 
not  lose  anything  that  we  love. 

The  "right  hand"  is  the  sum-total  of  all  those 
things  in  the  world,  that  we  feel  we  cannot  get  along 
without.  They  seem  indispensable,  and  their  loss 
seems  irreparable;  but  they  are  insignificant  com- 
pared with  faith.  We  must  be  ready  to  dispense 
with  them  all  if  necessary  to  the  realization  of  per- 
fect faith,  and  we  must  depend  absolutely  upon  faith 
regardless  of  the  wishes  of  our  dearest  friends.  But 
when  we  are  ready  to  sacrifice  everything  that  faith 
may  have  its  way,  we  shall  find  that  no  sacrifice  will 
be  required  of  us. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  205 

When  Abraham  became  absolutely  willing  to  even 
sacrifice  his  own  son  in  order  to  obey  the  spirit,  he 
learned  it  was  not  required  of  him.  And  it  is  always 
thus;  when  we  are  willing  to  lose  everything  that 
spirit  may  reign,  we  find  that  we  lose  nothing,  but 
gain  much. 

When  we  have  faith  in  faith  we  find  that  faith  can 
do  anything;  and  we  find  that  faith  in  the  life,  the 
power  and  the  guidance  of  the  spirit  will  take  us 
safely  through  anything.  If  we  are  in  trouble,  faith 
will  open  the  way  out;  if  we  have  lost  our  friends, 
faith  will  give  us  more  and  better  friends ;  if  we  have 
lost  all  of  our  possessions,  faith  will  give  us  greater 
riches  than  we  ever  had  before. 

We  have  been  told  that  the  story  of  Job  is  an  alle- 
gory; but  even  so,  it  illustrates  what  can  be  done, 
and  what  is  being  done  in  varying  degrees  in  the 
lives  of  thousands  where  faith  in  faith  is  abundant 
and  strong.  He  who  has  the  faith  that  Job  had  will 
regain  all  he  has  lost  and  in  addition,  will  receive 
much  more.  This  is  the  law  of  faith  and  we  can  all 
prove  the  law  by  simply  having  faith  in  faith. 

When  we  are  in  darkness  and  sin,  faith  will  lead 
us  into  the  full  light;  when  we  are  in  bondage  to  sick- 
ness and  pain,  faith  will  heal  us  and  give  us  complete 
emancipation;  and  when  we  are  in  poverty  or  want, 
faith  will  lead  us  into  the  land  of  plenty. 

The  old  thought  has  informed  us  that  he  who  would 
live  by  faith  must  expect  to  live  in  poverty;  many 


206  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

have  believed  this  and  have  therefore  been  compelled 
to  let  go  of  almost  everything  of  value  and  worth  in 
the  world.  What  we  believe  must  come,  will  come. 
As  your  faith  is,  so  shall  it  be  unto  you.  If  it  is  your 
faith  that  you  must  live  in  poverty  in  order  to  live 
by  faith,  in  poverty  you  must  live. 

But  it  is  the  Father's  will  and  desire  to  give  us  the 
riches  of  the  kingdom ;  and  to  have  faith  is  to  live  in 
harmony  with  Infinite  will ;  therefore,  when  we  begin 
to  live  by  faith  we  shall  leave  the  life  of  poverty  and 
enter  the  world  of  abundance. 

To  live  in  poverty  is  not  a  mark  of  spirituality.  If 
you  are  poor  something  is  wrong  either  with  you  or 
with  the  society  in  which  you  live.  But  faith  can 
take  you  out  of  that  wrong  and  cause  all  things  to  be- 
come right.  Faith  can  give  you  the  best  of  every- 
thing that  the  whole  of  life  can  produce.  Believe  this 
and  so  it  will  be. 

When  things  seem  dark,  and  all  that  is  near  and 
dear  seems  to  be  slipping  away  from  you,  do  not  com- 
plain or  weep.  Have  faith.  Depend  upon  faith.  Have 
faith  in  faith.  Know  that  faith  will  change  the  course 
of  events;  turn  darkness  into  light;  turn  hatred  into 
love;  turn  chaos  into  order  and  harmony;  and  cause 
the  best  of  all  things  to  flow  into  your  life  in  greater 
abundance  than  ever  before.  Faith  can  do  anything. 
Have  faith  in  faith  and  to  you  shall  come  the  riches 
and  blessings  of  the  beautiful  life. 

The  tendency  of  man  is  to  turn  to  old  methods 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  207 

when  faith  seems  to  fail ;  but  why  does  faith  ever  fail  ? 
The  reason  is  we  have  not  sufficient  faith  in  faith. 
When  we  have  perfect  faith  in  faith,  it  can  never  fail 
us.  The  power  within  faith  is  limitless,  and  it  is 
our  privilege  to  call  into  action  as  much  of  this  power 
as  we  may  need  or  desire. 

We  are  called  upon  every  day  to  decide  upon  some- 
thing of  importance;  but  how  is  this  decision  to  be 
made?  Are  we  to  follow  fear  or  faith?  Fear  declares 
that  everything  may  go  wrong;  this  is  always  the 
language  of  fear;  but  faith  declares  that  everything 
will  go  right;  and  this  is  always  the  language  of 
faith.  Fear  does  not  know;  faith  does  know.  Follow 
the  verdict  of  fear  and  everything  will  go  wrong,  be- 
cause the  path  of  fear  leads  into  wrong.  But  follow 
the  superior  insight  of  faith  and  everything  will  go 
right.  The  path  of  faith  is  the  ever-ascending  path 
to  the  greatest  good  that  real  life  can  give;  there- 
fore, no  one  can  follow  faith  without  finding  the 
richer,  the  larger,  the  truer  and  the  better. 

Fear  always  expects  the  worst,  because  it  can  see 
only  darkness ;  faith  positively  assures  us  of  the  best, 
because  it  can  clearly  see  the  light;  and  in  the  light 
the  best  is  always  found.  But  whether  we  decide  to 
follow  fear  and  live  in  darkness,  or  decide  to  follow 
faith  and  live  in  the  light,  will  depend  entirely  upon 
how  much  faith  we  have  in  faith. 

Millions  are  living  lives  that  are  not  satisfactory; 
they  long  for  a  change,  but  they  are  in  such  complete 


208 


bondage  to  fear  that  they  are  always  afraid  to  even 
hope  for  something  better.  There  is  a  power,  how- 
ever, that  can  break  the  bonds,  and  that  power  is 
faith.  Are  you  living  in  Egypt  I  Are  you  in  bondage 
to  the  king  of  evil,  oppression  and  misery?  Faith 
can  lead  you  out.  Depend  upon  faith,  and  begin  this 
moment  to  follow  wherever  faith  may  go.  Is  there 
a  Red  Sea  of  mental  materiality  between  yourself 
and  the  promised  land  of  peace,  happiness  and 
plenty?  Take  the  rod  of  faith  in  your  hand  and 
stretch  it  out  over  the  sea;  the  waters  will  instantly 
divide,  and  you  may  walk  safely  to  the  other  side. 
Faith  can  do  anything.  Have  faith  in  faith. 

There  is  not  a  single  person  in  the  world  today 
that  cannot  enter  the  promised  land,  and  do  so  now. 
Anyone  may  find  peace,  health,  happiness,  freedom, 
and  the  very  best  that  life  can  give.  These  things  are 
for  you  in  your  present  state  of  existence.  It  is  the 
will  of  God  that  life  should  be  sweet  to  every  soul; 
do  not  believe  that  you  must  suffer.  There  is  free- 
dom for  you  this  very  moment;  there  is  a  beautiful 
life  that  you  may  enter  at  once,  and  faith  is  the  open 
door. 

Have  faith,  and  the  veil  of  mystery  is  no  more; 
you  may  see  what  has  been  hidden,  and  enter  the 
secret  chambers  of  life.  Have  faith,  and  the  clouds 
of  darkness  will  completely  disappear;  you  will  be- 
hold the  light  of  the  eternal  sun,  and  the  radiance  of 
its  glory  will  fill  and  illumine  your  entire  sphere  of 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  209 

existence.  Have  faith,  and  the  barriers  of  limitations 
will  fall  to  rise  no  more;  and  the  invincible  powers 
of  the  spirit  will  surge  through  and  through  your 
entire  being,  proclaiming  in  language  divine,  * '  Noth- 
ing shall  be  impossible  unto  thee,  for  I  am  thy 
strength  and  thy  life  forever." 

Faith  is  the  assurance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen;  and  the  reason  is  that  faith 
lives  in  the  light.  Faith  knows  that  we  may  receive 
anything  we  ever  hoped  for,  because  faith  discerns 
that  power  that  makes  all  things  possible.  Faith  is 
in  the  light,  and  therefore  sees  what  has  not  been 
seen;  it  does  not  simply  believe  that  the  unseen  is 
real,  but  proves  the  reality  of  everything  by  going 
out  into  the  boundlessness  of  everything. 

Faith  is  never  sad,  because  it  lives  in  the  joy  ever- 
lasting. Faith  never  grieves,  because  it  knows  that 
nothing  is  lost.  Faith  knows  that  what  shall  be 
united  will  be  united;  what  shall  be  found  will  be 
found;  and  what  belongs  to  us  cannot  long  be  kept 
away  from  us.  Faith  also  knows  that  whatever  we 
may  need  or  desire  now,  exists  for  us  now;  and  it  is 
our  privilege  to  enter  through  the  door  of  faith  and 
receive  our  own.  The  great  secret  is  faith.  Faith 
can  do  anything.  Have  faith  in  faith. 


The  soul  never  acts  alone;  whenever  the 
soul  acts.  Cod  acts  also,  in  the  same  place,  at  the 
same  time,  and  for  the  same  purpose.  When- 
ever the  soul  undertakes  anything,  there  is  im- 
mediate and  direct  assistance  from  the  Supreme. 
Therefore,  the  soul  can  never  fail;  nor  can  any 
personal  undertaking  fail  that  is  prompted,  di- 
rected and  inspired  by  the  soul.  My  Father 
worketh  and  I  work;  and  I  am  the  soul.  So 
long  as  I  know  and  feel  that  1  am  the  soul,  the 
soul  will  act  in  all  my  work,  and  where  the  soul 
acts  there  Cod  will  act  also,  because  the  two 
are  One.  What  the  soul  begins,  Cod  will  fin- 
ish; what  the  soul  aspires  to  be,  Cod  will  cause 
it  to  be. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  INFINITE  REVEALED 

When  we  think  of  God  as  absolute  and  infinite,  and 
try  to  picture  His  spirit  as  it  fills  the  universe  with 
His  transcendental  omnipresence,  we  seemingly  lose, 
at  first,  that  beautiful  something  that  makes  Him 
personal  to  us.  God  does  not  seem  to  be  God  unless 
we  can  think  of  Him  as  a  friend,  and  go  to  Him  as 
we  would  to  some  person  that  was  very  near  and  very 
dear.  It  seems  difficult  to  speak  to  an  Infinite  Being, 
and  there  is  no  beauty  or  comfort  in  believing  in  God 
unless  we  can  speak  to  Him  at  any  time  when  we  feel 
the  need  of  His  tender  care.  Nevertheless,  our  reason 
declares  that  God  must  be  infinite  or  He  would  not 
be  God;  and  our  spiritual  discernment  concurs  with 
reason  upon  this  great,  momentous  theme;  but  since 
God  is  infinite,  absolute  and  omnipresent,  how  can 
He  be  personal  f  And  if  He  is  not  personal,  how  can 
we  think  of  Him  as  being  different  from  cold  princi- 
ple and  law  ? 

We  cannot  think  of  love  as  existing  apart  from 
personality,  and  God  is  love;  therefore  He  must  be 
personal;  but  how  can  God,  who  fills  the  universe,  be 

213 


214  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

personal  ?  This  is  the  problem  that  confronts  nearly 
every  mind  that  passes  from  the  literal  belief  in  truth 
to  the  spiritual  understanding  of  truth.  When  we 
try  to  think  that  God  is  not  personal,  we  feel  as  if  we 
have  lost  a  great  friend,  the  very  friend  of  all  friends; 
there  seems  to  be  no  use  for  prayer,  because  how  can 
the  limitless  Soul  of  the  universe  be  interested 
specially  in  one  of  us,  a  mere  atom  in  the  immensity 
of  the  cosmos?  Besides,  we  find  it  practically  impos- 
sible to  pray  to  something  that  is  nothing  but  change- 
less principle  and  immutable  law.  We  therefore 
cease  prayer  and  substitute  affirmations;  but  some- 
thing is  lacking;  the  soul  remains  comfortless;  the 
intellect  may  be  satisfied,  but  the  tender  elements  of 
love  and  sympathy  are  gradually  disappearing,  and 
finally  we  come  to  a  place  where  nothing  but  cold 
intellect  remains.  Then  we  discover  we  are  not  on 
the  path;  we  have  gone  astray,  and ^every thing  the 
heart  has  wished  for  seems  to  be  far  in  the  distance. 
With  God  all  things  are  possible ;  therefore,  it  is  not 
beyond  His  power  to  be  personal  as  well  as  absolute ; 
nor  is  it  beyond  the  power  of  man  to  understand  how 
this  can  be.  God  is  the  great  Soul  of  the  universe. 
He  lives  and  acts  everywhere,  and  there  is  no  place 
where  He  is  not ;  nevertheless,  He  is  just  as  personal 
to  any  one  of  us  as  the  very  dearest  friend;  in  truth, 
more  so,  because  His  personal  nearness  to  us  is  closer 
than  that  of  any  friend,  closer  even  than  life  itself. 
He  is  not  limited  and  circumscribed  as  the  form  of  a 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  215 

human  personality ;  if  He  were,  He  could  be  personal 
only  to  those  who  lived  in  the  same  locality  as  He 
might  happen  to  live;  and  therefore  the  vast  throngs 
would  receive  no  more  comfort  from  His  personal 
care  than  if  they  should  try  to  worship  principle  and 
law.  The  very  fact  that  God  is  infinite  makes  it  pos- 
sible for  Him  to  be  personal  to  all  the  souls  in  the 
universe ;  and  the  fact  that  He  is  present  everywhere 
throughout  the  limitless  vastness  of  space  makes  it 
possible  for  Him  to  give  His  personal  care  every- 
where, thus  ministering  individually  to  every  soul  in 
existence. 

God  is  individualized  in  every  soul;  that  is,  He 
actually  lives  in  the  very  being  of  every  soul.  God 
is  within  us,  closer  than  breathing,  nearer  than 
hands  and  feet;  therefore  it  is  not  necessary  to  look 
to  the  great  Soul  of  the  universe  whenever  we  think 
of  God,  to  look  within  is  sufficient.  To  contemplate 
the  vastness  of  infinite  life  or  the  immensity  of  a 
universal  soul  is  to  lose  sight  of  God.  We  can  know 
Him  only  when  we  meet  Him  face  to  face  within  the 
sacred  realms  of  our  own  divine  spirit.  Do  not  look 
towards  the  vastness  of  the  without,  but  look  towards 
the  divinity  of  the  within,  and  God  will  be  there. 
He  is  always  there,  and  His  being  there  means  that 
He  is  personal  to  us,  ever  ready  to  give  personal  at- 
tention to  any  need  that  we  may  have  at  the  time. 
Being  within  us,  and  being  in  the  very  life  of  our  own 
spirit,  He  is  nearer  than  even  our  own  personality, 


216 


and  can  therefore  give  us  His  personal  attention 
whenever  we  may  so  desire.  Though  He  is  not  per- 
sonal to  any  one  or  any  special  number  alone,  being 
omnipresent,  He  is  personal  to  all  souls  at  all  times, 
and  that  is  a  truth  that  is  beautiful  indeed  to  think 
of.  The  vine  is  united  with  all  its  branches,  and  gives 
its  very  life  to  each  individual  branch  at  all  times. 
The  vine  is  personal  to  each  branch,  and  yet  is  not 
confined  to  the  personal  form  or  personal  limitations 
of  any  one  branch.  In  like  manner,  the  Infinite  is 
personal  to  every  soul,  but  is  not  localized  as  any  one 
individual  soul  may  be. 

When  we  state  that  God  is  in  His  heaven,  we  do 
not  mean  that  He  occupies  a  certain  local  heaven,  be- 
cause God  is  everywhere,  and  where  He  is  there 
heaven  must  be  also.  Nor  do  we  mean  that  He  has  a 
local  throne,  because  the  Infinite  is  enthroned  in  every 
soul,  and  all  souls  are  spiritually  one;  therefore  the 
great  throne  of  God  is  the  spirit  of  all  souls  united 
in  one  perfect,  universal  divinity.  But  there  is  also 
a  local  heaven;  there  is  a  local  heaven  in  every  soul, 
and  God  lives  there  eternally;  there  is  a  local  heaven 
wherever  two  or  more  are  gathered  in  His  name; 
there  is  a  local  heaven  wherever  there  is  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth ;  there  is  a  local  heaven  on  the  spiri- 
tual heights  of  every  word  of  divine  existence,  and 
there  are  heavens  above  heavens  both  in  the  great 
without  and  the  great  within,  the  higher  we  ascend 
upon  the  great  eternal  path  of  endless  and  limitless 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  217 

glory.  God  has  provided  everything  that  the  life 
of  man  may  desire.  There  are  heavens  for  the  senses 
and  heavens  for  the  soul ;  there  are  heavens  that  the 
eye  can  see  and  the  person  enjoy,  and  there  are 
heavens  that  only  the  soul  can  discern  while  on  the 
mountain  tops  of  its  own  exalted  divinity.  And  every- 
where there  is  God  giving  His  personal  thought  to 
every  human  desire  or  need. 

God  is  not  a  personality,  but  He  is  personal  to  every 
personality  in  existence.  He  is  personal  to  each  one 
of  us  because  He  is  in  actual  personal  touch  with  each 
one  of  us.  He  lives  in  all,  therefore  he  is  personal  to 
all,  and  can  give  personal  attention  to  the  needs  of 
each  and  all.  The  soul  knows  this;  the  mind  in  its 
higher  states  of  consciousness  has  discerned  it,  and 
thus  the  belief  in  a  personal  God  has  arisen.  The  mind 
has  discerned  only  the  personal  presence  of  God  in 
the  soul  at  certain  intervals,  but  the  soul  knows  that 
God  is  personally  present  at  all  times  in  all  souls. 
Thus  the  former  belief  in  a  personal  God  is  not  lost ; 
it  is  only  made  infinitely  larger.  The  feeling  that  we 
can  speak  to  God  as  we  speak  to  a  personal  friend 
continues,  only  that  feeling  has  become  infinitely 
more  beautiful.  To  realize  that  God  lives  in  us  and 
we  in  Him,  is  to  know  that  we  are  personally  in 
touch,  not  with  a  part  of  God,  but  with  all  of  God; 
and  that  all  His  power,  all  His  wisdom  and  all  His 
love  is  for  each  one  of  us  now  and  eternally.  All  that 
the  father  hath  is  mine ;  and  being  infinite,  He  is  per- 


218  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

sonally  interested  in  me  even  though  He  be  personally 
interested  in  all  the  other  souls  in  the  universe  at  the 
same  time.  What  He  can  be  to  one  He  can  be  to  all, 
and  He  is.  His  eye  is  ever  upon  each  one  of  us,  and 
His  hand  is  ever  ready  to  guide  whenever  we  may  so 
desire. 

God  never  ceases  to  think  of  you,  nor  should  you 
cease  to  think  of  Him.  He  is  personally  interested  in 
you  and  your  welfare;  then  how  can  ill  befall  you? 
Why  should  any  of  us  ever  go  wrong  with  the  Infinite 
Hand  so  near?  There  are  no  reasons  why  unless  it 
should  be  our  endeavor  to  understand  through  reason 
that  which  the  spirit  alone  can  discern.  Depend  upon 
the  spirit;  follow  the  light  of  the  spirit  and  every 
moment  shall  reveal  the  presence  of  God.  Every- 
thing we  do  will  be  directed  by  His  wisdom,  and  His 
power  will  see  us  through.  Nothing  need  disturb  us, 
neither  need  we  ever  be  anxious.  God  wants  us  to 
reach  our  goal.  He  is  personally  interested  in  every 
undertaking  we  have  in  hand,  and  He  is  working 
with  us,  placing  His  limitless  power  at  our  command. 
Therefore,  we  need  not  be  concerned  when  unexpected 
changes  appear;  every  change  will  be  a  change  for 
the  better;  every  turn  in  events  will  lead  us  into 
greater  events,  and  every  door  that  may  close  on  the 
left  will  open  another  door  on  the  right  through  which 
we  may  pass  to  a  greater  world  than  we  ever  knew 
before.  This  is  what  will  happen  when  God  is  with 


219 


us;  and  He  is  always  with  us,  only  we  must  learn  to 
receive  everything  that  He  has  to  give. 

To  know  God  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,  because 
God  is  the  source  of  wisdom.  The  nearer  we  live  to 
the  source  the  more  we  receive  of  that  which  comes 
from  the  source.  The  mind  that  is  not  consciously 
living  with  God  may  have  intellect  and  mental  capa- 
city, but  the  wisdom  that  knows  can  come  only  to 
that  mind  that  is  walking  with  God  every  moment  of 
conscious  existence.  The  mind  that  does  not  know 
God  thinks  in  the  darkness;  the  mind  that  does  know 
God  thinks  in  the  light. 


Cod  is  my  light  forever. 
His  spirit  is  shining  within; 

My  home  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
I'm  free  from  all  evil  and  sin. 


Cod  is  my  love  and  power, 

My  being  is  perfect  and  whole; 

I'm  living  the  life  of  the  spirit. 
The  beautiful  life  of  the  soul. 


Cod  is  my  life  eternal. 

My  truth  and  my  wisdom  divine 
I'm  heir  to  His  riches  and  glory. 

His  kingdom  forever  is  mine. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

RETUEN  YE  UNTO  GOD 

Wherever  we  may  be,  whatever  has  happened  or 
whatever  may  threaten  to  happen,  it  matters  not; 
there  is  a  power  that  can  change  everything.  There 
are  no  reasons  for  sorrow,  fear  or  regret;  there  are 
no  occasions  for  anxiety,  discouragement  or  despair; 
there  is  a  path  that  leads  to  the  world  of  the  heart's 
desire,  and  anyone  may  find  it.  Great  learning  is 
not  required,  nor  shall  we  find  certain  fixed  beliefs 
necessary.  The  secret  is  simple,  simple  enough  for 
any  mind  in  the  world,  because  it  is  the  will  of  Infi- 
nite Love  that  every  mind  in  the  world  shall  know  the 
way.  None  need  stumble,  none  need  go  astray,  none 
need  ever  be  lost.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  follow 
the  voice  of  the  soul,  and  this  voice  is  ever  proclaim- 
ing in  language  divine,  Return  Ye  Unto  God. 

The  world  has  tried  every  imaginable  method  to 
gain  freedom,  but  when  all  these  methods  fail,  as  they 
all  will,  Return  Ye  Unto  God.  The  moment  we  re- 
turn to  Him,  all  that  we  have  lost  will  return  to  us; 
and  that  which  we  do  not  wish  for  will  vanish.  When 
we  return  to  Him  we  return  to  our  own,  because  He 

223 


•2-24  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

is  the  source  of  everything  that  can  possibly  be  our 
own.  To  be  with  Him  is  to  be  where  we  wish  to  be, 
and  where  we  wish  to  be  there  we  shall  find  the 
"gates  ajar"  to  the  heaven  that  is  within.  Before 
we  can  enter  the  heaven  that  is  within  us  we  must  find 
perfect  peace  for  mind  and  soul,  and  this  peace  we 
always  find  when  we  return  to  God.  The  more  closely 
we  live  to  His  presence  the  deeper  and  more  exalted 
the  calm;  and  out  from  the  silence  of  this  calm  comes 
the  sacred  symphonies  of  life,  that  music  of  the  soul 
that  we  all  recognize  as  the  prelude  to  the  kingdom 
of  God.  When  we  can  hear  it  we  know  that  His 
presence  is  near;  we  can  discern  through  the  spiritual 
vision  those  secret  places  that  every  returning  soul 
has  the  privilege  to  enter.  We  learn  what  is  in 
store,  and  life  is  not  the  same  any  more.  We  have  had 
a  vision,  and  all  things  have  been  glorified. 

Return  ye  unto  God.  All  other  paths  lead  to  sor- 
row and  death,  but  in  Him  there  is  freedom  and  joy 
forever.  In  Him  there  is  life,  in  Him  there  is  peace, 
in  Him  there  is  wholeness  and  purity;  in  Him  there 
is  strength,  in  Him  there  is  health,  in  Him  there  is 
power  and  truth ;  in  Him  there  is  all  that  life  holds  in 
store  for  man— all  that  the  human  heart  can  wish  for. 
Seek  no  other  source;  follow  no  other  path.  There 
is  only  one  place  where  the  soul  finds  rest  and  con- 
tentment; only  one  place  where  every  vision  is  rea- 
lized, and  every  lofty  dream  made  true.  All  may  find 
it;  the  secret  is  simple.  Return  ye  unto  God. 


225 

But  Jesus  answered  them,  My  Father  worketh  even 
until  now,  and  I  work.— John  5:17. 

The  significance  of  this  statement  is  as  large  as 
the  limitless  sea  of  divinity  in  which  we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being.  The  Infinite  is  everywhere 
and  works  everywhere,  and  therefore  He  is  with  us 
working  with  us.  To  know  this  is  to  know  one  of 
the  greatest  truths  in  the  world,  and  there  is  nothing 
that  is  more  helpful  in  the  living  of  everyday  life 
than  to  live,  think  and  act  in  harmony  with  this  truth. 
Whatever  our  work  may  be,  it  ceases  to  be  difficult 
the  moment  we  realize  that  God  is  working  with  us. 
When  we  know  that  His  power  is  with  us,  the  burden 
disappears  completely. 

The  undertaking  we  have  in  mind  may  be  very 
large;  it  may  seem  to  be  more  than  we  alone  can 
carry  through;  but  we  need  not  be  alone;  the  Infinite 
is  at  hand  ready  to  work  with  us,  and  with  Him  there 
can  be  no  failure.  Depend  upon  the  Supreme;  ask 
God  to  work  with  you ;  live  so  near  to  the  Spirit  that 
you  will  be  one  with  God,  and  when  you  choose  to  go 
with  God,  He  will  go  with  you.  Then  the  work  will 
almost  do  itself;  you  perform  the  most  difficult  task 
with  perfect  ease,  and  you  can  work  as  much  as  you 
desire,  weariness  will  not  even  make  an  attempt  to 
enter  your  world. 

The  average  person  works  alone ;  his  task  is  there- 
fore difficult;  he  does  nothing  well,  and  his  work  is 
wearing  and  tearing  to  a  degree  that  makes  his  life 


226  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

both  bitter  and  disappointing.  But  he  works  alone, 
with  almost  every  disadvantage  in  his  way,  simply 
because  he  has  not  ascended  in  the  spiritual  scale. 
He  has  not  arisen  to  that  lofty  realm  where  he  can  be 
in  harmony  with  Supreme  power,  and  therefore  must 
depend  upon  the  limited  power  of  mere  man.  This, 
however,  is  his  own  choice;  he  may  rise  in  the  spirit- 
ual scale  whenever  he  may  desire  and  as  much  as  he 
may  desire;  and  the  higher  he  goes  in  this  scale  the 
more  direct  assistance  he  receives  from  the  Infinite. 

When  we  reach  those  same  spiritual  heights  that 
Jesus  had  reached,  we  can  also  say  as  he  did  that  my 
Father  worketh  and  I  work,  and  we  will  receive  just 
as  much  power  from  God  as  he  received.  We  shall 
thereby  do  the  works  that  he  did,  and  as  we  go  on 
still  farther  with  him,  we  shall  do  the  greater  works. 
Jesus  declared  that  he  could  of  himself  do  nothing. 
His  great  power  came  from  God,  and  his  spirituality 
was  so  high  that  he  could  both  receive  and  apply  this 
power.  He  had  reached  that  state  where  he  was  in 
perfect  harmony  with  Supreme  power,  and  could 
manifest  the  fullness  of  that  power  in  all  his  life  and 
works. 

And  his  command  was:  Follow  me;  what  I  have 
done,  ye  shall  do.  We  are  therefore  not  to  remain 
content  with  simply  believing  that  he  was  what  he 
was  and  did  what  he  did;  we  are  to  go  and  do  like- 
wise. Nor  is  the  way  difficult;  to  follow  Christ  is  the 
simplest  thing  in  the  world,  and  there  is  nothing  that 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  227 

produces  such  great  results.  Though  we  may  not 
reach  the  heights  that  he  reached  at  once,  we  can 
press  on,  and  gain  ground  daily.  Every  step  will 
bring  added  power,  and  this  power  we  can  use  now 
in  everything  that  we  may  be  doing  now.  Spiritual 
power  is  not  only  for  some  other  world;  nor  is  its 
sole  use  in  this  world  to  keep  us  away  from  tempta- 
tions. The  power  of  the  spirit  is  intended  to  be  used 
in  the  living  of  a  great  life  here  and  now,  and  in  the 
doing  of  great  things  in  this  present  world. 

Those  alone  will  enter  the  kingdom  who  do  the  will 
of  the  Father,  and  to  do  the  will  of  the  Father  is  to 
live  the  life  that  He  lives  now.  Live  the  life  of  the 
Spirit  now,  and  you  are  saved  both  for  time  and  eter- 
nity. And  one  of  the  greatest  essentials  in  the  liv- 
ing of  the  spiritual  life  is  to  live  so  near  to  God  that 
His  power  is  in  everything  that  we  may  do.  Then 
God  works  with  us;  not  simply  in  what  the  world 
calls  great  things,  but  in  all  things.  Even  in  those 
things  that  seem  to  be  insignificant,  the  power  of  the 
Supreme  is  with  us,  and  everything  we  do  brings  joy. 

The  first  step  to  be  taken  in  anything  we  wish  to 
do,  is  to  seek  divine  assistance.  To  ask  God  to  go  with 
us  and  work  with  us,  and  to  enter  into  such  perfect 
spiritual  harmony  with  God  that  we  can  feel  His  su- 
preme power  through  and  through— that  is  the  first 
and  most  important,  be  it  work  pertaining  to  body, 
mind  or  soul.  Whether  we  are  beginners  in  the  spir- 
itual life  or  have  reached  the  heights,  God  will  work 


228  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

with  us  in  whatever  we  have  the  understanding  to  do 
now ;  and  as  we  rise  in  the  scale,  He  will  work  with  us 
in  doing  those  greater  things  that  spiritual  giants 
have  the  privilege  to  perform.  And  with  God  work- 
ing with  us,  we  shall  never  fail;  all  work  will  be 
pleasure,  and  the  days  of  weariness  shall  come  no 
more. 

The  mind  that  understands  the  spirit  of  truth 
knows  that  it  is  the  Father  that  does  the  work ;  that 
it  is  the  power  of  the  Infinite  that  produces  all  power; 
that  this  power  comes  into  our  life  to  be  directed  and 
used  by  us,  and  that  we  may  receive  as  much  of  this 
power  as  we  desire.  Such  a  mind  knows  that  it  will 
profit  nothing  to  force  the  limited  power  that  we 
may  seem  to  possess,  but  that  more  power  from  on 
high  comes  without  fail  when  our  thoughts  are  very 
high  and  very  still.  Therefore,  the  true  mind  creates 
all  thought  in  the  supreme  stillness  of  higher  spirit- 
ual realms,  and  leaves  results  to  divine  law.  Those 
results  will  be  far  greater  and  better  than  the  per- 
sonal man,  unaided,  could  have  possibly  produced, 
even  with  every  external  advantage  at  hand.  When 
we  have  great  things  to  do  we  are  tempted  to  rush 
forward  and  force  those  things  through;  but  this  must 
never  be  permitted.  Such  methods  are  not  only  detri- 
mental to  the  mind,  but  are  wholly  inadequate  to  ful- 
fill the  purpose  we  have  in  view.  To  be  perfectly 
still  at  such  times,  and  let  Supreme  Life  do  the  great 
work  is  the  secret. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  229 

To  secure  more  power  we  must  go  up  into  those 
spiritual  regions  where  power  is  limitless;  and  when 
we  enter  that  high  state  our  thoughts  not  only  be- 
come enormously  strong,  but  thinking  becomes  so 
smooth  and  easy  that  no  effort  whatever  is  required. 
"We  think  God's  thoughts  after  Him,  and  those 
thoughts  are  not  only  full  of  power,  but  also  full  of 
peace.  To  understand  how  an  action  can  be  perfectly 
still  may  be  difficult  to  the  mind  that  has  never  felt 
the  perfect  calm;  but  we  must  realize  that  stillness 
does  not  imply  inactivity.  Real  stillness  is  the  high- 
est form  of  activity,  where  the  strongest  power  acts 
in  absolute  harmony.  To  be  in  real  stillness  is  to  be 
in  that  power;  therefore,  the  mind  that  is  perfectly 
still  thinks  the  highest  thoughts,  the  greatest  thought 
and  the  most  powerful  thought. 

We  may  all  demonstrate  through  personal  experi- 
ence that  it  is  not  strenuous  metaphysical  efforts  that 
perform  miracles,  but  the  power  of  those  high  spirit- 
ual thoughts  we  create  while  in  the  secret  places  of 
the  Most  High.  And  when  we  learn  to  use  that  method 
only,  and  never  permit  ourselves  to  become  mentally 
over-wrought,  we  shall  develop  healing  powers  that 
are  extraordinary— powers  that  will  do  greater 
things  than  was  ever  seen  upon  earth  before. 
"Greater  things  than  these  shall  ye  do."  "I  am 
with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 

When  you  live  in  the  presence  of  the  Infinite  you 
are  constantly  in  touch  with  higher  power  and  supe- 


230  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

rior  guidance.  You  will  therefore  not  only  be  able 
to  accomplish  far  more  in  your  chosen  vocation,  but 
you  will  be  prevented  from  going  astray.  The  very 
moment  the  person  is  tempted  to  take  a  misstep,  the 
spirit  from  within  interferes,  and  you  are  prompted 
to  again  proceed  on  the  true  path.  When  you  are  on 
the  verge  of  doing  something  that  is  not  best,  higher 
power  appears ;  something  unexpected  happens  to  up- 
set all  your  proposed  plans,  and  you  are  led  to  see, 
by  the  light  from  within,  that  there  is  something 
better  in  store.  The  nearer  you  live  to  the  Infinite 
the  more  readily  you  are  corrected  and  placed  right 
whenever  you  are  going  to  go  wrong.  Your  seeming 
mistakes,  therefore,  are  brought  to  naught  in  every 
instance,  and  you  are  awakened  more  and  more  to 
the  realization  of  the  great  truth  that  God  knows 
best.  When  in  doubt  or  in  darkness,  leave  it  to  God ; 
the  right  way  will  open  and  the  very  best  will  come  to 
pass. 


The  first  principle  in  the  unfoldment  of  the 
soul  is  to  live  in  the  spiritual  attitude;  that  is,  in 
the  prayer  without  ceasing,  or  in  that  altitude 
where  you  feel  that  you  are  in  the  spirit.  When 
you  are  in  the  spirit,  or  in  the  spirit  of  real 
prayer,  and  deeply  desire  certain  things,  you 
will  certainly  receive  them.  Everything  that  you 
can  possibly  pray  for  is  in  the  spirit,  and  when 
you  are  in  the  spirit  when  you  pray  you  will  be 
in  perfect  spiritual  touch  with  what  you  pray  for. 
And  what  we  spiritually  touch,  that  we  receive. 
Place  human  life  in  conscious  contact  with  higher 
life  and  the  latter  will  flow  into  the  former.  Soul 
unfoldment  will  place  the  being  of  man  in  higher 
and  higher  states  of  spiritual  relationship  with  the 
Supreme  Source  of  all  things.  Therefore,  to 
unfold  the  soul  is  to  open  the  way  to  every  lofty 
goal  that  man  may  have  in  view. 

"And  if  thy  right  hand  cause  thee  to  stumble, 
cut  it  off."  The  right  hand  symbolizes  that 
which  we  think  We  cannot  live  without,  and  to 
think  that  anything  in  the  visible  world  is  indis- 
pensable, is  to  be  in  bondage  to  things.  He  who 
knows  that  he  can  live  whether  the  universe  lives 
or  not,  has  found  life  itself — the  eternal  life  of 
the  spirit.  He  is  therefore  no  longer  in  bond- 
age to  things  because  he  is  in  that  life  that  is 
infinitely  greater  than  all  things. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

PRAYERS  THAT  ARE  ANSWERED 

The  Infinite  is  changeless,  therefore  there  is  no 
special  providence  in  the  usual  sense  of  that  term, 
and  yet  in  the  higher  sense,  everything  is  special 
providence.  Every  act  of  the  Supreme  is  a  special 
act  because  it  provides  for  a  special  need  somewhere 
in  the  life  of  the  human  soul. 

However,  it  is  not  necessary  to  ask  God  to  go  out- 
side of  His  changeless  laws  to  answer  our  particular 
prayer.  Our  particular  prayer  is  already  provided 
for;  that  is,  God  is  already  doing  that  which  is  re- 
quired to  supply  what  we  desire.  Therefore,  God  will 
not  have  to  do  something  special  to  answer  our 
special  request.  He  is  already  and  eternally  doing 
everything;  but  we  must  do  something  special  to  se- 
cure what  God  has  already  provided  for  us. 

What  is  called  special  providence  is  not  the  result 
of  a  special  act  of  God,  but  the  result  of  a  special  act 
of  man ;  and  this  special  act  of  man  is  the  act  of  man 
going  to  God  to  present  his  request  and  receive  his 
heart's  desire. 

The  prayers  that  are  answered  are  not  the  prayers 

233 


234  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

that  we  express  when  we  are  away  from  God,  but 
when  we  are  with  God.  Our  prayers  are  never 
answered  when  we  think  of  God  as  far  away;  to  re- 
ceive an  answer  to  our  prayer  we  must  go  to  God ;  we 
must  enter  into  His  very  presence,  and  while  we  are 
in  His  presence  there  is  no  true  request  that  we  can 
possibly  make  that  will  not  be  granted. 

The  Infinite  is  limitless,  both  in  power  and  in  love ; 
therefore,  God  is  not  only  able  to  do  everything  that 
we  ask  Him  to  do,  but  He  wants  to  do  it.  It  is  a 
great  privilege  for  infinite  love  to  do  everything, 
and  the  love  of  God  is  infinite. 

It  is  not  the  wish  of  God  to  withhold  from  us  any- 
thing that  we  may  desire ;  it  is  His  supreme  desire  to 
give  us  everything,  but  we  are  created  with  a  free 
will,  therefore  God  gives  only  that  which  we,  through 
our  own  free  will,  may  select. 

The  average  person  thinks  he  is  imposing  upon 
God  when  he  asks  for  much ;  but  the  fact  is  that  the 
more  we  ask  for  the  more  we  please  God,  provided 
we  go  to  Him  and  receive  it,  and  if  we  wish  to  please 
God  in  the  highest  measure  we  should  pray  without 
ceasing,  pray  for  everything  we  can  use  in  the  build- 
ing of  a  great  and  beautiful  life. 

The  power  of  prayer,  however,  should  not  be  used 
exclusively  for  the  realization  of  what  is  usually 
termed  spiritual  things;  all  things  become  spiritual 
when  animated  with  the  spiritual  life ;  and  all  things 
are  good  when  used  for  a  good  purpose ;  therefore,  we 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  235 

are  free  to  pray  for  everything  that  can  add  to  the 
whole  of  life,  be  it  of  the  body,  the  mind  or  the  soul. 

The  true  spiritual  life  does  not  mean  the  riches  of 
the  soul  combined  with  weakness  of  the  body,  poverty 
of  the  person  and  ignorance  of  the  mind.  The  true 
spiritual  life  is  an  ideal  life  on  all  planes,  and  God  is 
ready  to  provide  us  with  everything  that  can  make 
the  whole  of  life  ideal,  if  we  only  pray  for  it  with 
the  prayer  that  not  only  asks  of  God  but  also  takes 
us  to  God. 

The  true  prayer  never  doubts,  but  believes  implic- 
itly that  the  request  will  be  granted;  and  this  is 
natural,  because  we  cannot  possibly  doubt  when  we 
know  that  the  more  we  ask  of  God  the  more  we  please 
God.  But  it  is  not  only  natural  for  the  true  prayer  to 
have  perfect  faith ;  it  is  necessary.  Before  our  prayers 
can  be  answered  we  must  go  to  God  and  receive  what 
we  have  asked  for;  and  it  is  only  through  perfect 
faith  in  God  that  we  can  enter  into  the  presence  of 
God. 

The  true  prayer  is  always  inspired  with  the 
thought  "I  know  that  thou  wilt  answer  me";  and  this 
thought  is  the  spiritual  product  of  faith— the  faith 
that  feels  the  love  of  God. 

The  true  prayer  is  also  animated  with  the  highest 
form  of  spiritual  gratitude,  and  is  therefore  always 
inspired  with  that  beautiful  thought,  '  *  My  Father,  I 
thank  thee  that  thou  hearest  my  prayer,  and  I  thank, 
thee  that  thou  hearest  me  always."  The  prayer  of 


236  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

faith  knows  that  God  does  hear  every  prayer,  and 
that  he  will  answer  every  prayer  providing  we  come 
to  Him  in  person  with  our  request.  In  consequence, 
when  we  are  in  the  spirit  of  true  prayer,  our  grati- 
tude must  necessarily  be  boundless. 

When  we  feel  that  God  will  give  us  anything  we 
may  ask  for,  that  there  is  no  doubt  about  it  whatever, 
we  cannot  otherwise  but  give  expression  to  the  very 
soul  of  gratitude,  and  this  gratitude  is  both  limitless 
and  endless;  it  is  the  soul's  eternal  thanksgiving. 

To  live  in  the  spirit  of  that  prayer  that  is  ever  ask- 
ing God  for  everything,  that  believes  that  God  is 
giving  everything,  and  that  is  constantly  giving 
thanks  to  God  for  everything,  is,  in  itself,  a  life  of 
the  highest  joy.  In  such  a  life  everything  is  being 
taken  to  higher  ground,  because  we  are  manifesting 
in  body,  mind  and  soul,  more  and  more  of  the  likeness 
of  God.  Personal  existence  is  becoming  ideal  exist- 
ence, while  the  soul  is  living  in  the  full  conscious 
realization  of  God's  own  beautiful  world. 

But  thou,  when  than  prayest,  enter  into  thine  inner 
chamber,  and  having  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy 
Father  which  is  in  secret,  and  thy  Father  which 
seeth  in  secret  shall  recompense  thee.— Mat.  6:6. 

This  is  not  a  literal  statement;  the  inner  chamber 
is  not  some  secluded  place  in  some  material  struc- 
ture, nor  is  the  door  referred  to  something  that  can 
be  opened  or  closed  with  the  power  of  physical  hands. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  237 

There  is  only  one  inner  chamber;  there  is  only  one 
secret  place;  there  is  only  one  sacred  realm  where 
the  human  meets  the  divine,  and  that  is  in  the  soul  of 
man.  To  enter  the  inner  chamber  is  to  enter  the 
beautiful  stillness  within.  God  is  enthroned  in  every 
human  soul,  and  to  enter  into  the  secret  places  of  the 
soul  is  to  meet  Him  face  to  face. 

The  door  that  must  be  closed  is  the  consciousness 
of  the  without,  that  something  in  the  mind  that  takes 
cognizance  of  the  world  of  things.  When  we  enter 
into  secret,  the  visible  must  be  forgotten;  we  are  upon 
holy  ground  and  must  remove  the  shoes  of  external 
existence.  We  cannot  enter  the  silent  within  so  long 
as  we  think  of  outer  things,  therefore  the  door  must 
be  closed.  And  we  cannot  pray  to  the  Most  High  un- 
less we  enter  His  presence.  To  pray  is  not  simply 
asking  God,  it  is  also  going  to  God.  The  most  beauti- 
ful prayer  is  not  uttered  in  words  but  is  felt  in  the 
sacred  depths  of  the  soul. 

When  we  simply  ask  God  our  prayers  are  never 
answered ;  we  do  not  pray  unless  we  enter  into  secret ; 
it  will  profit  nothing  to  make  a  request  of  the  Infinite 
unless  we  first  enter  our  inner  chamber  and  close  the 
door.  And  no  person  ever  prayed  in  secret  that  was 
not  rewarded  openly.  No  prayer  that  is  uttered  in 
the  sublime  stillness  of  the  soul  is  ever  disregarded. 
All  such  prayers  are  answered.  What  we  ask  of  God 
when  we  meet  Him  face  to  face,  that  we  invariably 
receive. 


238  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

When  we  have  learned  to  pray  in  secret  we  should 
never  have  occasion  to  doubt  any  more.  We  then 
know  that  every  request  will  be  granted.  Even 
though  the  answer  does  not  come  until  the  eleventh 
hour  and  the  last  moment  of  that  hour,  we  know  that 
it  will  come.  Our  faith  is  as  perfect  as  the  word  of 
truth,  and  as  high  as  the  heavens  of  the  spirit,  and  in 
that  faith  we  live.  God  will  find  a  way;  we  have 
asked  Him  to  do  so  and  every  request  brings  that 
beautiful  response,  "I  will  not  forsake  thee  nor  leave 
thee ;  I  am  thy  Kedeemer,  I  will  care  for  thee. ' ' 

To  enter  the  inner  chamber  of  the  soul  is  to  trans- 
cend everything,  for  the  time  being,  that  pertains  to 
the  visible  world ;  but  this  requires  spirituality.  We 
cannot  enter  the  spirit  so  long  as  we  are  subject  to 
the  body,  and  we  are  subject  to  the  D*ody  so  long  as 
we  live  for  the  body.  When  we  begin  to  live  for  the 
spirit  we  can  enter  the  innermost  chambers  of  the 
spirit  whenever  we  so  desire,  and  when  we  are  in 
this  spiritual  state  we  may  pray  for  anything  that  is 
needed  in  the  body,  the  mind  or  the  soul.  What  we 
pray  for  in  secret  we  shall  receive  openly.  Therefore, 
to  live  for  the  body  is  to  neglect  the  body  and  to  lose 
the  soul.  But  to  live  for  the  spirit  is  to  give  the  full- 
ness of  life  to  the  entire  being  of  man. 

When  we  pray  openly  we  do  not  pray,  because  we 
cannot  be  in  the  secret  chambers  of  the  soul  so  long 
as  we  are  in  the  material  world  of  external  things; 
and  no  desire  is  a  prayer  unless  it  is  uttered  in  that 


THE  PATHWAY  OP  ROSES  239 

secret  place  within  where  we  meet  Him  face  to  face. 
We  must  be  with  God  to  receive  of  God,  and  as  He  is 
enthroned  within  us,  the  perfect  path  to  His  presence 
is  to  enter  the  spiritual  chamber  within.  There  we 
shall  find,  not  only  the  sublime  stillness  of  the  soul's 
communion  with  God,  but  also  the  secret  power  of 
faith — the  faith  that  makes  all  things  possible. 

The  secret  power  of  faith  is  found  in  the  soul's 
nearness  to  God ;  the  nearer  we  are  to  God  the  more 
perfect  our  faith,  the  greater  our  power  and  the  more 
beautiful  our  life ;  and  when  we  enter  into  the  sacred 
realms  of  the  soul  we  are  in  the  very  presence  of  God. 
We  are  touched  by  the  spirit,  and  to  be  touched  by 
the  spirit  is  to  be  filled  with  the  spirit — to  be  filled 
with  everything  that  the  perfection  of  divine  spirit 
may  contain. 

The  prayer  without  ceasing  is  the  living  of  that 
life  that  is  so  near  to  God  that  we  can  feel  His  power 
and  His  love  at  all  times.  In  that  life  the  mind  is  in 
constant  touch  with  the  soul  and  every  true  desire 
becomes  a  prayer  uttered  in  secret.  Therefore,  when 
we  so  live  that  life  itself  becomes  a  beautiful  prayer, 
there  is  nothing  that  we  can  desire  or  ask  for  that 
we  shall  not  receive.  When  we  live  so  near  to  God 
that  we  actually  have  our  being  in  the  spirit  of  His 
life,  our  every  desire  will  be  just  and  wholesome  and 
true,  and  all  such  desires  will  be  fulfilled;  not  in  the 
distant  future,  but  now.  We  shall  begin  to  receive 
now  that  which  is  in  store  for  them  that  love  Him 


240  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

and  every  day  the  measure  will  increase  as  long  as 
eternity  shall  continue  to  be. 

If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ask 
whatsoever  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you. 
—John  15:7. 

There  is  no  stronger  statement  to  be  found  any- 
where in  the  literature  of  the  world,  and  there  is  pos- 
sibly no  statement  that  has  received  less  attention. 
Nevertheless,  those  who  understand  the  inner  mean- 
ing of  high  spiritual  truth,  know  that  this  statement 
is  not  only  based  upon  an  exact  scientific  principle, 
but  that  any  spiritually  minded  person  can  demon- 
strate the  whole  truth  that  is  contained  in  that 
principle. 

To  abide  in  the  Christ  is  not  simply  to  live  in  the 
acceptance  of  some  belief  about  Jesus;  but  this  is 
the  current  idea;  and  being  purely  literal  it  has  no 
power  whatever;  in  consequence,  those  who  claim  to 
abide  in  the  Christ  do  not  secure  any  greater  results 
through  their  prayers  than  do  those  who  depend 
solely  upon  mere  personal  desire.  To  abide  in  the 
Christ  is  to  actually  live  in  the  Christ  consciousness, 
and  every  part  of  mind  and  soul  is  permeated, 
through  and  through,  with  the  life  and  the  power 
of  the  Christ.  Your  entire  being  is  in  the  hands  of 
higher  power;  you  are  in  a  world  where  things  are 
absolutely  mastered  by  the  spiritual  will,  and  your 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  241 

mind  is  so  spiritualized  that  it  responds  perfectly  to 
the  power  of  divine  will. 

When  the  words  of  the  Christ  abide  in  you,  your 
mind  is  in  absolute  truth  because  those  words  are  ab- 
solute truth.  The  mind  that  is  in  truth  is  in  the  true 
state  of  being,  and  to  be  in  the  true  state  of  being 
is  to  be  so  close  to  God  that  anything  desired  can 
be  received  at  any  time.  With  God  all  things  are 
possible,  and  God  will  do  a  lything  for  us  if  we  live 
as  He  lives.  This  is  the  seciet,  and  we  do  live  as  God 
lives  when  we  abide  in  the  Christ  with  His  words 
abiding  in  us. 

When  the  words  of  the  Christ  abide  in  us,  every 
thought  we  think  and  every  word  we  utter  will  be 
animated  with  the  spirit  of  the  Christ;  in  like  man- 
ner, inner  spiritual  power  will  give  soul  to  everything 
we  do,  and  that  power  that  caused  even  the  winds 
and  the  waves  to  obey  will  begin  to  work  through  us. 
Supreme  power  will  be  with  us  at  all  times  to  answer 
our  prayers ;  our  thoughts  and  our  words  will  be  liv- 
ing thoughts  and  words,  and  will  carry  the  power  of 
the  spirit  wherever  they  may  go.  We  are  therefore 
in  that  position  where  we  not  only  can  receive  from 
God  anything  desired,  but  where  we  have  the  power 
to  make  our  own  prayers  come  true. 

To  be  in  the  Christ  means  more  than  to  receive 
from  his  love  what  our  hearts  may  desire;  it  means 
spiritual  mastership.  To  be  in  the  Christ  is  not  a 
mere  feeling  of  the  emotions ;  it  is  a  life,  and  in  that 


242  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

life  the  power  of  the  Christ  is  supreme.  Nor  is  this 
power  given  to  us  temporarily;  it  becomes  our  own, 
and  we  become  able  to  bring  to  ourselves  anything 
we  may  ask  for.  It  is  the  promise.  ''What  I  have 
done,  ye  shall  do."  This  promise  is  not  mere  words; 
it  means  something;  it  means  that  any  person  may 
attain  spiritual  mastership  and  cause  the  world  of 
things  to  respond  to  the  power  of  the  Christ  within 
him. 

We  have  believed  this;  the  hour  is  at  hand  to  prove 
it;  and  those  who  will  try  will  find  that  God  is  with 
them.  But  we  must  remember  that  this  supreme 
state  does  not  come  through  personal  effort.  ' '  I  can 
of  myself  do  nothing. ' '  We  must  enter  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  Christ,  the  inner  life  of  the  Christ,  the  very 
spirit  of  the  Christ;  and  our  thought  must  become 
identical  with  His  word.  When  there  is  no  difference 
whatever  between  our  thoughts  and  the  sublime 
words  of  the  Christ,  then  we  can  truthfully  say  that 
His  words  are  abiding  in  us. 

When  our  thoughts  become  identical  with  the 
words  of  the  Christ,  the  same  power  that  was  in  His 
words  will  be  in  our  thoughts;  and  also  in  our  words; 
a  principle  of  truth  so  extraordinary  that  when  we 
first  think  of  it  we  become  awe-stricken  with  thoughts 
so  great,  so  wonderful,  so  marvelous  that  no  tongue 
can  ever  give  them  utterance.  And  as  we  penetrate 
further  into  the  inner  meaning  of  this  great  truth 
we  meet  thoughts  more  marvelous  still;  we  are  face 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  243 

to  face  with  the  statement  that  we,  even  we,  shall  in 
the  near  future  hold  in  our  own  hands  the  same  power 
that  wrought  such  wonder  works  in  the  hands  of 
the  Christ.  Every  person  that  is  living  the  spiritual 
life  is  steadily  moving  towards  that  supreme  goal. 

When  we  abide  in  the  Clirist  and  His  words  abide 
in  us,  we  are  living  absolutely  in  the  inner  spiritual 
world;  in  that  world  there  are  no  impossibilities,  and 
everything  that  wre  can  possibly  ask  for  is  even  now 
at  hand;  that  all  our  prayers  should  be  answered  is 
therefore  most  evident.  God  is  more  willing  to  give 
than  we  are  to  receive ;  the  reason  why  we  do  not  re- 
ceive what  we  may  desire  or  need  is  because  we  are 
not  willing;  that  is,  our  will  is  not  in  harmony  with 
the  will  of  God  and  our  desire  is  not  in  harmony  with 
the  desire  of  God.  But  this  harmony  with  God  is 
fully  secured  when  we  begin  to  live  in  the  Christ  and 
begin  to  think  only  those  thoughts  that  are  inspired 
by  the  words  of  the  Christ.  We  are  then  absolutely 
in  His  power,  in  His  life,  in  His  love;  we  may  ask 
what  we  will;  His  life  contains  everything;  His  power 
brings  forth  everything;  His  love  gives  everything. 

Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  all  things  whatsoever  ye 
pray  and  ask  for,  believe  that  ye  have  received 
them,  and  ye  shall  have  them,— Mark  11:24. 

This  great  statement  gives  positive  emphasis  to 
the  law  that  we  can  gain  actual  possession  only  of 
that  which  we  have  gained  conscious  possession.  Or, 


244  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

in  other  words,  we  must  become  conscious  of  the  ex- 
istence of  an  object  before  we  can  gain  personal  pos- 
session of  that  object.  We  must  enter  consciously  into 
the  life  of  that  which  we  desire  to  gain,  but  we  cannot 
enter  into  the  life  of  that  which  we  doubt  the  exist- 
ence of.  Doubt  invariably  produces  a  gulf  between 
ourselves  and  the  object  of  doubt,  while  faith  pro- 
duces mental  and  spiritual  unity. 

Spiritual  unity  is  always  followed  by  actual  or  per- 
sonal unity ;  that  is,  what  we  enter  into  conscious  pos- 
session of  in  the  spiritual  life  we  will,  ere  long,  gain 
actual  possession  of  in  the  physical  life.  Believe  that 
you  have  already  received  in  the  spirit  what  you  de- 
sire to  receive  in  the  person,  and  you  will  receive  it  in 
the  person  in  a  very  short  time.  This  is  a  law  that 
positively  cannot  fail.  Claim  your  own  in  the  ideal 
world  and  you  will  receive  your  own  in  the  real  world. 

This  law  gives  rise  to  the  practice  of  anirmations, 
but  affirmations  as  usually  employed  do  not  comply 
with  all  the  elements  of  the  law.  To  simply  affirm 
that  we  are  what  we  wish  to  be,  or  that  we  have  what 
we  wish  to  possess,  is  not  sufficient.  Our  spiritual 
possessions  do  not  express  themselves  unless  there 
is  a  strong,  positive,  personal  desire  for  expression. 
We  must  pray  for  that  which  we  wish  to  realize,  but 
our  prayer  should  not  be  mere  asking.  The  prayer 
that  asks  in  the  feeling  of  uncertainty  as  to  whether 
the  thing  prayed  for  is  for  us  or  not,  is  not  a  prayer 


245 


of  faith;  and  it  is  only  the  prayer  of  faith  that  is 
answered. 

To  pray  in  the  feeling  that  knows  that  what  we 
pray  for  is,  even  now,  ready  to  be  given  to  us,  is  to 
combine  the  desire  for  expression  with  the  realiza- 
tion of  possession,  and  we  thus  comply  fully  with  the 
law  of  supply.  In  this  attitude  we  have  faith,  and  it 
is  only  through  faith  that  we  can  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  that  which  we  desire  to  actually  possess.  We  must 
awaken  the  spiritual  cause  before  we  can  secure  the 
physical  effect,  but  it  is  only  through  faith  that  we 
enter  into  the  world  of  spiritual  cause.  Faith  pro- 
duces spiritual  unity,  and  when  we  are  one  with  the 
spirit  we  become  conscious  of  the  life,  the  richness 
and  the  power  of  the  spirit.  In  consequence,  we  cause 
that  which  is  in  the  spirit  to  be  brought  forth  in  the 
body,  because  what  we  gain  consciousness  of  in  the 
within  we  invariably  express  in  the  without. 

When  we  simply  affirm  that  we  have  what  we  wish 
to  possess,  the  mental  action  is  quite  liable  to  be  mere- 
ly intellectual  or  even  mechanical;  and  we  do  not 
touch  our  interior,  spiritual  possessions  in  the  least. 
But  when  the  affirmation  is  animated  with  prayer  and 
desire  the  mental  action  becomes  so  deep  that  the 
spiritual  life  is  reached.  Or,  to  express  the  same 
truth  in  another  manner,  when  our  prayer  for  that 
which  we  desire  is  strengthened  by  the  positive 
faith  that  we  have  already  received  it,  we  remove  all 


246  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

doubts  and  barriers  and  enter  at  once  into  actual  and 
conscious  possession. 

To  use  affirmations  alone  is  to  ignore  the  great 
possibilities  of  Infinite  assistance.  Any  person  may, 
for  a  while,  build  himself  up  mentally  and  personally 
with  affirmations  alone,  but  the  structure  is  artificial ; 
it  is  built  upon  the  sand  and  will  surely  fall  when  the 
storms  of  environments  and  changing  circumstances 
become  a  trifle  too  strong.  Without  the  conscious 
and  continuous  assistance  of  the  Infinite  no  man  can 
travel  very  far  on  the  upward  path  nor  go  very  high 
in  the  scale  of  true  being.  But  any  man  who  takes 
God  with  him  can  overcome  any  obstacle  in  the  world, 
scale  the  highest  heights  in  existence,  and  what  he 
builds  today  he  is  building  for  eternity. 

The  proper  course  to  pursue  is  to  ask  God  for 
everything  you  desire;  ask  Him  to  be  with  you  in 
everything  you  wish  to  accomplish;  pray  without 
ceasing,  and  while  you  pray  and  work  and  press  on 
to  the  great  goal  you  have  in  view,  affirm  with  posi- 
tive faith  that  God  is  with  you,  that  He  has  given  you 
everything  you  can  possibly  desire  or  need.  Believe 
that  you  have  what  you  pray  for,  believe  that  you  are 
what  you  wish  to  become;  then  ask  God  to  enlarge 
your  realization,  to  give  perpetual  increase  to  your 
faith,  and  to  be  constantly  with  you  in  working  out 
these  great  supreme  convictions. 

The  true  prayer  is  a  high  spiritual  communion  with 
God,  but  it  is  not  an  inactive  state.  True  prayer  is 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  247 

oneness  with  God  and  a  strong  living  desire  for  the 
full  realization  of  all  that  is  in  the  life  of  God.  There- 
fore, the  true  prayer  is  the  perfect  way  to  God.  If  we 
wish  to  be  with  God  we  must  pray.  If  we  wish  God 
to  be  with  us  we  must  pray.  Live  in  constant  prayer 
to  God  and  you  secure  the  constant  and  conscious 
assistance  of  God  in  everything  you  do.  But  a  prayer 
is  not  a  prayer  unless  it  incorporates  the  affirmation 
of  the  truth  upon  which  the  prayer  or  desire  is  based. 

To  simply  affirm  that  God  is  with  you  will  not  give 
you  the  assistance  of  God.  When  you  affirm  a  truth 
you  are  talking  to  yourself;  when  you  pray  you  are 
talking  to  God,  and  God  listens  only  to  what  we  say  to 
Him.  If  we  want  God  to  go  with  us  we  must  ask 
Him,  we  must  talk  to  Him  consciously  if  we  wish 
His  personal  assistance  and  power. 

To  affirm  the  truth  is  absolutely  necessary  because 
affirmations  will  train,  our  own  minds  in  right  think- 
ing, will  remove  doubt  and  will  develop  in  us  the 
power  to  know  that  all  that  we  can  pray  for  or  desire 
is  ours  now.  But  in  order  to  enter  into  the  actual 
realization  of  our  own  we  must  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God,  because  all  things  that  are  in  store  for  man  are 
now  in  the  kingdom.  And  it  is  true  prayer— the 
prayer  that  goes  to  God  that  constitutes  the  "gates 
ajar"  to  the  riches  and  glory  of  that  wonderful  king- 
dom. 


248  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

And  Jesus  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  said,  Father,  I 
thank  thee  that  thou  heardest  me.  And  I  know 
that  thou  nearest  me  always.— John  11:41. 

This  beautiful  statement  was  given  before  the 
answer  to  the  prayer  was  received,  and  is  therefore 
an  illustration  of  the  very  highest  form  of  supreme 
faith.  To  thank  God  after  you  have  received  what 
you  asked  for  is  simple ;  any  heart  can,  at  such  a  time, 
be  full  of  sublime  gratitude ;  but  to  thank  God  before 
you  have  received  what  you  intend  to  ask  for,  and 
feel  the  fullness  of  that  gratitude  thrill  every  fibre 
in  your  entire  being— that  is  spirituality  indeed. 
Likewise,  to  be  able  to  say  that  you  know  that  God 
hears  you  always;  only  the  mind  that  is  in  the  spirit 
can  make  such  a  statement,  and  pray  in  this  manner; 
but  that  alone  is  real  prayer. 

To  precede  any  prayer  with  doubt  is  to  close  the 
door  between  yourself  and  the  spirit;  there  must  be 
no  uncertainty  in  our  communion  with  God;  we  do 
not  believe  that  God  is  God  so  long  as  we  are  un- 
certain as  to  whether  our  prayers  will  be  heard  or  no, 
and  we  cannot  enter  into  the  presence  of  God  until  we 
believe  that  He  verily  is  God.  When  we  know  that 
the  power  of  God,  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  love  of 
God— all  is  limitless,  we  can  feel  no  doubt  whatever, 
as  to  whether  or  no,  our  prayers  will  be  answered. 
Divine  power  can  do  anything,  but  divine  love  can- 
not refuse  anything. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  249 

When  we  know  God  as  He  is,  we  know  that  He 
hearest  us  always,  and  we  feel  it  a  privilege  to  thank 
Him  every  moment  for  this  great  truth.  And  when 
we  thank  Him  in  this  manner  before  we  begin  our 
prayer,  we  not  only  enter  into  the  very  love  of  His 
spirit,  but  we  also  enter  into  that  faith  that  makes 
all  things  possible.  The  faith  that  knows  that  God 
hearest  us  always  is  so  close  to  God  that  it  is  animated 
with  the  very  power  of  God ;  and  therefore  when  we 
are  in  such  a  faith  nothing  can  be  impossible;  we 
may  then  ask  for  what  we  will  and  it  will  be  done 
unto  us. 

The  more  perfectly  we  realize  that  God  hears  us 
always  the  higher  we  ascend  in  the  scale  of  true 
spirituality,  because  this  supreme  faith  lifts  the  soul 
higher  and  higher  until  we  are  received  at  the  very 
throne  of  the  Most  High.  And  to  be  in  His  presence 
is  to  receive  whatever  we  may  have  asked  or  prayed 
for.  God  is  everywhere,  and  we  may  enter  into  His 
presence  anywhere.  The  Most  High  is  enthroned  in 
every  soul,  and  pure  spiritual  faith  is  the  "gates 
ajar"  to  His  beautiful  kingdom. 


There  is  abundance  of  hope  in  the  world,  but 
what  we  need  is  more  faith.  Everybody  is 
hoping  for  better  things;  the  poor  hope  to  get 
rich;  the  sick  hope  to  get  well;  the  sad  hope 
to  gain  happiness;  the  troubled  hope  to  find 
peace;  everybody  is  hoping  for  something,  but 
few  have  the  faith  that  is  necessary  to  secure 
that  something.  When  we  are  in  bondage,  or 
keenly  realize  our  bondage,  we  hope  that  the 
Great  Deliverer  will  come;  we  pray  that  He 
may  come;  we  hope  that  our  prayers  will  be 
answered,  and  we  are  so  absorbed  in  our  hopes 
that  we  fail  to  hear  Him  knocking  at  the  door 
even  now.  To  have  hope  is  to  face  the  door, 
but  hope  stands  still;  it  never  moves  towards  the 
door.  To  live  in  hope  is  simply  to  face  the 
great  goal,  but  we  may  continue  to  face  that  goal 
for  ages,  and  never  move  forward  a  step.  "To 
live  in  hope  is  to  die  in  despair,"  because  hope 
remains  stationary;  it  never  gains  what  it  hopes 
to  gain.  But  when  faith  begins  we  remain  sta- 
tionary no  more.  We  press  on  directly,  and  with 
power,  towards  the  coveted  goal;  our  hopes  are 
soon  realized;  our  desires  are  granted;  what  we 
wished  for  is  withheld  no  more;  through  faith 
we  have  entered  that  world  where  every  prayer 
is  answered  and  every  wish  made  true. 


CHAPTER 


THE  FAITH   THAT  MOVES  MOUNTAINS 

To  him  who  has  faith  nothing  is  impossible.  It 
matters  not  what  he  may  wish  to  realize  or  what  he 
may  wish  to  do  ;  if  he  has  faith,  it  can  be  done.  But 
what  do  we  mean  by  faith?  Faith  is  not  a  passive 
belief;  it  is  a  positive  action.  It  is  the  power  of  the 
spirit  within  man  acting  upon  the  life,  the  mind,  the 
body  and  the  nature  of  man;  and  by  acting  through 
man  it  acts  upon  everything  with  which  man  may 
come  in  contact.  When  we  have  faith  we  do  not 
simply  believe  in  the  form,  or  that  which  may  exist 
in  the  external;  when  we  have  faith  we  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  that  in  which  we  express  our  faith  ;  the  secret 
of  real  faith  and  the  real  power  of  such  ai  faith  is 
therefore  found  in  the  spirit. 

When  you  proceed  with  something  that  you  wish 
to  accomplish,  do  not  simply  have  confidence  in  your- 
self; and  do  not  simply  proceed  in  the  mere  convic- 
tion or  assurance  that  your  purpose  will  be  realized  ; 
do  more  than  that;  have  faith,  and  when  you  have 
faith,  your  mind  will  enter  into  the  very  spirit  of  that 
which  you  have  undertaken  to  accomplish.  This  is 

253 


254  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

the  reason  why  nothing  is  impossible  when  you  have 
faith,  because  when  you  enter  the  spirit  you  enter 
the  power  of  the  spirit,  and  to  the  power  of  the  spirit 
there  is  no  limit  whatever.  To  have  faith  is  to  enter 
into  the  spirit ;  to  enter  into  the  spirit  is  to  enter  into 
the  life  and  the  power  of  the  Most  High;  and  with 
God  all  things  are  possible.  The  entire  world  of 
things  is  permeated  with  spirit,  with  infinite  power; 
therefore,  when  we  enter  into  the  spirit  of  anything 
we  enter  in  the  one  spirit  that  lives  in  all  things,  and 
gain  possession  of  as  much  of  the  power  of  the  one 
spirit  as  we  can  possibly  receive.  The  greater  our 
faith  the  greater  our  capacity  to  receive  of  the  lim- 
itless power  of  the  spirit,  and,  in  consequence,  the 
greater  will  be  our  realization  of  whatever  we  now 
may  have  in  view. 

To  have  more  and  more  faith,  the  secret  is  to  enter 
more  and  more  deeply  into  the  spirit  of  everything  in 
which  we  express  our  faith.  Do  you  have  faith  in 
yourself?  Then  try  to  enter  mentally  into  the  spirit 
of  your  entire  being  whenever  you  think  of  yourself. 
Do  you  have  faith  in  your  work  ?  Then  try  to  enter 
into  the  spirit  of  everything  that  is  connected  with 
your  work.  Do  you  have  faith  in  every  person  you 
meet?  Then  try  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  his  life, 
into  mental  contact  with  the  greater  man  that  lives 
within  the  personal  man.  Do  you  have  faith  in  all 
things?  Then  enter  into  the  spirit  of  things,  into  the 
real  soul  of  things  whenever  you  think  of  things  or 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  255 

look  upon  things.  Do  you  have  faith  in  God?  Then 
enter  mentally  and  spiritually  into  the  spirit  of  Infi- 
nite Spirit  whenever  you  think  of  God;  whenever 
you  think  of  God,  think  of  yourself  as  being  in  the 
spirit  of  God,  and  try  to  feel  that  God  is  closer  than 
breathing,  nearer  than  hands  and  feet.  The  more 
deeply,  the  more  fully  and  the  more  completely  you 
enter  into  the  spirit  of  that  of  which  you  think,  the 
greater  your  faith;  and  the  greater  your  faith  the 
greater  your  power. 

There  is  not  a  person  in  the  world  who  may  not 
proceed  in  life  with  the  full  conviction  that  his  ideals 
will  be  realized  and  that  he  will  accomplish  every- 
thing he  has  undertaken  to  do.  If  he  lives  and  works 
in  faith  he  simply  cannot  fail,  because  faith  will  give 
him  all  the  power  he  may  require,  and  anything  may 
be  accomplished  when  we  have  sufficient  power.  But 
the  average  person  proceeds  in  the  thought  that  he 
may  possibly  reach  his  goal;  he  is  not  certain;  he 
concludes  he  will  try,  and  will  do  his  best ;  but  as  to 
the  outcome  he  does  not  know.  This,  however,  is  not 
faith,  and  without  faith  nothing  whatever  can  be  ac- 
complished. To  fulfill  any  purpose,  even  the  most 
insignificant,  there  must  be  some  measure  of  faith, 
and  the  greater  this  measure,  the  greater  will  be  the 
realization  desired.  He  who  proceeds  in  real,  un- 
bounded faith,  will  place  his  life  in  touch  with  invin- 
cible spirit,  and  he  will  continue  unmoved,  untouched 
and  undisturbed,  no  matter  what  the  circumstances 


256  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

may  be.  He  will  place  his  mental  vision  upon  the 
highest  light  of  supreme  faith,  and  whatever  may 
happen  he  will  never  waver  from  that  light  for  a  mo- 
ment. He  will  continue  with  ceaseless  perseverance 
and  the  most  positive  determination ;  he  will  continue 
in  faith,  and  as  he  continues  and  grows  in  faith  he 
will  gain  more  and  more  power  until  he  has  sufficient 
power  to  do  everything  he  is  determined  to  do. 

Faith  does  not  always  produce  the  expected  miracle 
at  once ;  it  does  not  always  convert  a  life  of  confusion 
sickness  and  failure  into  a  life  of  happiness,  harmony 
and  abundance  without  much  waiting  and  watching 
and  prayer ;  it  does  not  always  change  a  pathway  of 
thorns  into  one  of  roses  the  very  first  day  we  begin 
to  live  by  faith ;  and  it  does  not  always  remove  every 
obstacle  in  a  minute.  There  are  times  when  it  re- 
quires months  and  even  years  of  constant  faith  to 
realize  what  we  pray  for ;  but  we  may  rest  assured 
in  the  great  truth  that  whoever  fixes  his  attention 
upon  a  certain  definite  goal  and  continues  to  work 
towards  that  goal,  in  faith,  will  positively  reach  it. 
Work  in  faith,  in  continuous  faith,  in  the  spirit  of 
unbounded  faith,  and  you  will  reach  your  goal,  you 
will  accomplish  your  purpose  just  as  surely  as  the 
coming  of  another  day.  Therefore,  though  you  may 
not  have  results  at  once,  nor  even  for  some  time, 
continue  to  work  in  the  same  unbounded  faith;  the 
results  you  desire  will  positively  be  gained ;  and  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES  257 

deeper  and  stronger  your  faith  the  sooner  you  will 
reach  the  object  in  view. 

When  faith  seems  to  fail,  the  remedy  is  more  faith. 
Do  not  become  discouraged  in  the  midst  of  seeming 
failure;  do  not  give  up  the  purpose  you  have  under- 
taken to  fulfill ;  do  not  doubt  the  possibilities  of  this 
purpose,  nor  come  to  the  conclusion  you  are  moving 
in  the  wrong  direction.  Continue  to  work  in  more 
and  more  faith,  and  if  you  should  be  on  the  wrong 
path,  something  will  happen  to  set  you  right.  Enter 
more  and  more  into  the  light  of  faith,  and  all  things 
will  clear  up.  When  you  are  on  the  wrong  track 
doubt  and  uncertainty  will  but  confuse  you  more,  and 
cause  you  to  go  further  into  the  wrong.  But  faith 
will  increase  your  light ;  faith  illumines  the  mind  and 
clears  the  sky  of  your  entire  world;  faith  will  lead 
you  out  of  your  mistakes  and  give  you  enough  power 
to  regain  all  that  is  lost  and  more.  Continue,  in 
faith,  to  press  on  towards  your  goal ;  discord  will  soon 
become  harmony;  uncertainty  will  soon  become  posi- 
tive convictions;  the  crooked  will  be  straightened 
out;  obstacles  will  disappear;  you  will  find  your 
proper  place;  you  will  enter  the  work  that  is  intended 
for  you ;  all  things  in  your  life  will  work  together  for 
good,  and  you  will  press  on  and  on,  gaining  ground 
steadily,  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  towards  the  high- 
est goal  that  your  spiritual  vision  can  possibly  dis- 
cern. 

The  majority  of  minds  have  many  obstacles  to 


258 


meet,  and  almost  invariably  give  emphasis  to  the 
belief  that  every  seeming  obstacle  actually  is  an  ob- 
stacle; but  faith  does  not  look  upon  obstacles  as  ob- 
stacles; faith  does  not  call  difficulties  difficulties. 
When  a  person  begins  to  live  in  faith,  all  things  that 
come  into  his  life  are  looked  upon  as  opportunities, 
and  they  are.  We  all  know  very  well  that  if  we  had 
no  difficulties  or  obstacles  to  meet,  or  what  would  be 
more  appropriately  termed  "great  occasions,"  we 
should  soon  become  nonentities.  It  is  the  difficult 
things  that  we  meet  that  enable  us  to  bring  into  ac- 
tion the  greater  power  that  is  within  us;  difficulties, 
therefore,  are  the  most  valued  of  opportunities,  and 
if  taken  advantage  of  as  such,  will  always  be  met 
with  joy.  No  obstacle  should  ever  be  called  by  that 
name  or  ever  thought  of  as  being  an  obstacle,  for  it 
is,  in  truth,  something  that  will  enable  you  to  prove 
to  yourself  that  the  power  that  is  within  you  is 
greater  than  anything  in  the  world.  When  we  no 
longer  call  obstacles  obstacles  or  difficulties  difficul- 
ties, we  shall  not  be  disturbed  by  obstacles  or  diffi- 
culties any  more.  Whatever  we  meet  will  be  turned 
to  good  account  and  will  call  forth  more  and  more  of 
the  greater  power  that  is  within  us.  Accordingly,  all 
things  will  work  together  for  greater  good ;  every  oc- 
casion will  be  welcome,  no  matter  what  it  may  be; 
every  experience  will  be  a  pleasure,  and  everything 
that  we  pass  through  will  add  to  our  welfare  and  joy. 
When  a  person  thinks  that  every  obstacle  is  an  ob- 


259 

stacle,  he  will  frequently  hesitate  to  proceed;  and 
will,  in  many  instances,  on  account  of  this  hesitancy 
or  doubt  or  fear,  fail  to  reach  his  goal;  but  if  he  pro- 
ceeds in  the  faith  that  there  is  something  within  him 
that  is  greater  than  all  the  obstacles  in  the  world, 
there  is  no  obstacle  that  can  stand  in  his  way.  In 
fact,  when  he  proceeds  in  such  a  faith,  every  obstacle 
that  is  met  will  simply  call  forth  that  greater  some- 
thing that  is  within  him,  and  this  "something*'  will 
give  him  all  the  power  he  may  require  to  reach  his 
goal. 

Faith  is  that  attitude  of  mind  through  which  we 
come  in  conscious  touch  with  the  Infinite.  When 
we  are  in  the  attitude  of  faith  we  are  in  the  very 
spirit  of  life,  and  in  the  spirit  of  life  God  reigns  su- 
premely. The  power  of  the  Infinite  is  in  the  spirit, 
and  when  we  are  in  the  spirit  we  become  one  with 
that  power;  therefore,  while  we  are  in  that  oneness 
nothing  can  be  impossible  with  us  any  more.  But 
the  power  of  the  Infinite,  expressed  through  us 
while  we  are  in  the  spirit  of  faith,  is  not  applicable 
to  spiritual  things  alone ;  it  is  applicable  to  all  things, 
and  may  be  applied  anywhere  in  life  in  the  attain- 
ment of  the  higher,  the  greater  and  the  better.  If 
you  wish  to  change  your  environment,  or  if  you  wish 
to  better  certain  things  in  your  life,  determine  pre- 
cisely what  you  want;  then  have  faith.  Continue  to 
say  "I  have  the  faith,"  and  repeat  that  statement  as 
frequently  as  possible.  Believe  that  you  will  realize 


260  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

what  you  want  and  believe  that  your  belief  is  abso- 
lute truth.  Have  faith,  and  also  have  faith  in  faith; 
and  whenever  you  affirm  the  statement,  * '  I  have  the 
faith,"  enter  into  the  very  spirit  of  that  statement. 
When  you  say  that  you  have  the  faith,  and  enter  into 
the  spirit  of  what  you  say,  you  awaken  the  power 
that  can  do  what  your  faith'  has  undertaken  to  do. 
That  is  how  faith  can  never  fail;  the  moment  you 
begin  to  have  faith  in  what  you  have  undertaken  to 
do  you  arouse  all  the  power  necessary  to  see  that 
undertaking  through.  And  the  more  frequently  you 
affirm,  in  the  spirit,  "I  have  the  faith,"  the  sooner 
you  will  enter  into  the  spirit  of  real  faith,  where  the 
necessary  power  will  be  gained. 

Our  constant  purpose  should  be  to  become  con- 
scious of  the  inner  spirit  of  faith ;  and  when  we  feel 
this  inner  spirit  we  should  try  to  become  conscious 
of  the  still  deeper  spirit  that  is  within  our  first  reali- 
zation of  the  spirit.  To  go  deeper  and  deeper  into 
the  realization  of  the  spirit  should  be  the  ruling  de- 
sire whenever  we  enter  the  attitude  of  faith ;  and  as 
there  is  no  end  to  the  depth  or  the  height  of  the 
spirit,  there  is  no  limit  to  that  inner  world  of  life, 
wisdom  and  power  that  may  be  realized  through 
faith.  However  far  we  may  enter  into  the  spirit  we 
can  always  go  farther  still;  every  step  that  we  take 
in  spiritual  realization  opens  the  door  to  a  still  higher 
spiritual  realization,  and  whenever  we  proceed, 
through  faith,  to  enter  more  deeply  into  the  limitless 


261 


spirit  of  faith,  we  open  another  door  to  the  marvel- 
ous kingdom  within.  Faith  goes  into  what  seems  to 
be  unreality  and  finds  that  the  deeper  we  enter  the 
world  of  the  spirit,  the  more  real  and  the  more  sub- 
stantial the  spirit  becomes.  Faith  goes  out  upon  the 
seeming  void  and  finds  that  there  is  no  void;  all  is 
real,  and  the  farther  we  go  out  into  the  vastness  of 
limitless  life  the  more  real  and  the  more  beautiful 
life  becomes.  Therefore,  to  follow  faith  is  always  to 
pass  from  the  lesser  into  the  greater,  into  the  better, 
the  richer,  the  larger,  the  more  wonderful  and  the 
more  beautiful. 

The  mind  that  lives  in  doubt  can  see  limitations 
everywhere;  the  mind  that  lives  in  faith  can  see  no 
limitations,  and,  in  fact,  knows  that  there  are  no 
limitations  anywhere.  The  mind  that  lives  in  doubt 
is  in  bondage  to  these  seeming  limitations  and  there- 
fore realizes  nothing  more  of  life  than  what  is  con- 
fined within  these  seeming  limitations ;  but  the  mind 
that  lives  in  faith  lives  in  the  freedom  of  the  all  of 
life,  and  is  daily  realizing  more  and  more  of  every- 
thing that  is  contained  in  the  all  of  life.  Faith  can 
see  that  no  matter  how  large  or  how  beautiful  life 
may  be  now,  there  is  always  a  larger  and  a  more 
beautiful  life  to  live  for,  to  work  for  and  to  realize 
in  the  days  that  are  near  at  hand.  In  the  life  of  faith 
there  is  no  end  to  anything;  there  is  always  some- 
thing more,  always  something  richer,  always  some- 
thing greater,  always  something  better.  The  life  of 


262  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

faith  is  therefore  full  of  realization,  full  of  promise, 
full  of  joy.  What  was  promised  by  faith  yesterday 
is  realized  today,  because  faith  is  not  only  the  power 
to  see  the  greater  vision,  but  is  also  the  power  that 
can  lead  life  into  the  very  world  of  the  greater 
vision;  and  thus  the  promise  of  yesterday  is  always 
fulfilled  today. 

Every  person  in  the  world,  whatever  his  present 
position  may  be,  can  begin  today,  and  through  the 
power  of  faith,  work  himself  up  into  any  attainment 
or  realization  he  may  have  in  mind.  Whatever  his 
goal,  he  can  reach  it,  if  he  works  in  faith.  This  may 
seem  to  be  a  strong  statement,  but  Jesus  Christ  de- 
clared it  was  so ;  and  it  is  certainly  high  time  that  we 
begin  to  believe  and  practice  the  great  truths  this 
Master  Mind  proclaimed.  If  the  teachings  of  Jesus 
mean  anything  they  mean  that  I  can,  through  faith, 
overcome  anything  in  my  life,  change  anything  in  my 
life,  better  anything  in  my  life,  and  realize  any  goal 
whatever  to  which  I  may  aspire  to  reach  in  life.. 
Though  it  may  take  months  and  years  to  reach  cer- 
tain things,  those  things  that  have  exceptional  worth, 
nevertheless  I  can  do  it,  if  I  continue  persistently  to 
work  in  the  spirit  of  unbounded  faith.  And,  in  the 
meantime,  if  I  give  this  same  faith  to  all  my  work,  I 
shall  be  gaining  ground  daily,  making  my  life  larger, 
better,  richer  and  more  beautiful  constantly.  When 
I  begin  to  work  in  the  spirit  of  faith,  I  will  always  be 
in  touch  with  the  spirit;  and  to  be  in  touch  with  the 


/  THE  PATHWAY  OF  BOSES  263 

spirit  is  to  be  at  one  with  God,  because  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  in  the  spirit;  therefore,  when  I  am  in  the 
spirit,  I  am  with  God;  God  is  with  me;  God  is  on  my 
side,  and  we  two  constitute  a  majority;  we  are 
greater  than  anything  we  shall  ever  meet,  and  we 
have  the  power  to  do  anything  we  may  desire,  to 
work  out  anything,  accomplish  anything  or  realize 
anything  that  we  may  at  any  time  have  in  view. 
Faith  has  made  us  one— the  Infinite  and  myself,  and 
together  we  hold,  not  simply  the  balance  of  power, 
but  all  power.  Therefore,  knowing  this  to  be  true, 
why  should  I  ever  doubt  any  more;  why  should  I  ever 
hesitate  any  more;  why  should  I  ever  be  fearful  or 
afraid  any  more. 

There  are  thousands  of  richly  endowed  minds  in 
the  world  that  accomplish  nothing  to  speak  of;  and 
the  reason  is  they  live  in  the  confusion  of  doubt,  un- 
certainty and  fear.  Many  of  these  minds  would  be- 
come giants  in  the  world  if  all  their  powers  were 
spurred  to  action  by  the  invincible  spirit  of  faith. 
In  fact,  there  is  not  a  single  mind,  whether  naturally 
endowed  or  not,  that  would  not  come  forth  into  a 
larger,  richer  life  if  inspired  by  the  wonder-working 
power  of  faith.  Faith  awakens  the  all  that  is  in  hu- 
man life,  and  makes  that  all  a  continuous  power  for 
good.  Therefore,  not  a  person  in  the  world,  what- 
ever his  work  may  be,  can  afford  to  live  or  work  a 
single  moment  without  faith,  without  the  deepest, 
strongest  faith  that  he  can  possibly  arouse  in  his  own 


264 


souU  Faith  is  not  for  the  spiritual  world  alone,  but 
for  every  world.  Not  a  muscle  should  move  unless  it 
moves  in  faith;  not  a  thought  should  be  formed  un- 
less it  is  filled  with  the  spirit  of  faith;  not  a  word 
should  be  uttered  unless  it  comes  directly  from  the 
limitless  power  of  faith.  This  is  what  it  means  to 
live  by  faith,  and  such  a  life  is  a  life  indeed. 

There  is  a  belief  among  many  that  since  every  soul 
has  the  power  to  draw  upon  the  limitless  for  any  de- 
sired supply,  it  is  not  necessary  to  give  special  atten- 
tion to  physical  or  mental  efforts.  In  other  words, 
if  they  continue  to  live  in  faith  they  will  receive  what 
they  want,  their  own  will  come,  even  though  they  be 
very  inefficient  as  far  as  work  is  concerned.  This  is 
their  spiritual  theory,  but  it  is  a  theory  which,  when 
applied,  leads  invariably  into  poverty  both  of  body 
and  mind.  The  fact  that  "all  things  are  yours"  on 
account  of  your  divine  heirship;  and  the  fact  that 
your  spiritual  nature  is  actually  and  permanently 
one  with  the  limitless  source  of  every  good  thing  in 
existence,  does  not  prove  that  you  may  receive  all 
that  you  need  by  simply  declaring,  "my  own  cannot 
remain  away  from  me."  To  fold  your  hands  and 
wait  in  faith  for  your  own  to  come,  is  not  to  wait  in 
faith ;  hope  stands  and  waits,  but  faith  goes  to  work. 
Therefore,  if  you  are  waiting  in  faith  you  have  no 
faith ;  and  having  no  faith  you  will  continue  to  wait ; 
your  own  will  not  come.  In  the  real,  ' '  all  things  are 
yours, ' '  but  you  can  make  no  actual  use  of  the  riches 


265 


of  the  kingdom  within  until  they  are  brought  forth 
into  manifestation.  The  life,  the  power  and  the 
riches  from  within,  however,  will  not  manifest 
through  a  mind  and  body  that  is  dormant;  and  the 
habit  of  waiting  and  hoping  for  supply  to  come,  re- 
gardless of  efficient  personal  effort,  has  a  tendency  to 
make  the  faculties  and  the  elements  of  the  human 
system  more  or  less  dormant. 

To  have  faith  is  not  simply  to  believe  that  every- 
thing will  come  to  us,  or  that  everything  must  come 
to  us  because  everything  already  belongs  to  us.  Faith 
is  not  simply  belief;  it  is  an  attitude  of  mind  and 
soul  wherein  you  place  your  own  life  in  perfect  con- 
tact with  infinite  life;  and,  in  consequence,  when  you 
live  and  work  in  faith  every  thought  and  every  effort 
will  be  charged,  so  to  speak,  with  the  power  of  infin- 
ite life.  To  work  in  faith  is  to  give  more  life  and 
more  power  to  your  work ;  to  think  in  faith  is  to  ani- 
mate and  inspire  your  thought  with  a  finer  insight 
and  a  higher  degree  of  understanding  than  you  could 
ever  receive  in  any  other  manner.  The  mission  of 
faith,  therefore,  in  practical  life,  is  to  give  the  indi- 
vidual that  greater  measure  of  wisdom  and  power 
through  which  he  may  make  himself  worthy  of  the 
very  highest  good  that  he  may  desire  as  his  own. 
All  things  belong  to  us;  that  is,  all  things  are  ready 
for  us  whenever  we  can  use  them ;  but  we  can  not  use 
the  greater  things  in  life  so  long  as  we  are  living  a 
small,  partially  dormant  life.  The  riches  of  the  king- 


266  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

dom  are  not  for  us  "to  have  and  to  hold ; ' '  they  are 
for  us  to  use ;  and  we  can  use  them  all  only  as  we  be- 
come alive  with  the  life  more  abundant  in  every  ele- 
ment of  body,  mind  and  soul. 

The  principle  is  this :  Use  the  body,  use  the  mind, 
use  the  soul,  use  every  faculty,  use  every  force,  use 
every  power  that  you  can  possibly  find  and  arouse 
throughout  your  entire  being;  and  use  all  these  things 
in  faith ;  that  is,  while  you  are  using  all  these  things, 
place  your  life,  your  mind  and  your  consciousness  in 
such  perfect  touch  with  the  Supreme  Source  of  life, 
power,  wisdom  and  inspiration,  that  you  become  a 
perfect  channel  of  expression  for  all  that  is  great  and 
worthy  in  the  vastness  of  sublime  existence.  In  this 
manner,  you  become  so  worthy,  so  competent  and  so 
efficient  in  your  life  that  all  that  is  great  and  worthy 
in  the  ideal  can  be  naturally  attracted  and  used  by 
you  in  the  real. 

With  regard  to  this  subject,  the  human  family  di- 
vides itself  into  three  classes.  The  first  class  is 
composed  of  the  masses  of  men  and  women  in  the 
world,  those  who  try  to  live  and  try  to  accomplish 
something  in  life  by  depending  solely  upon  objective 
faculties.  They  proceed  without  paying  any  atten- 
tion to  the  greater  powers  within  them  or  to  their  re- 
lationship with  infinite  life;  in  consequence,  they 
are  constantly  hemmed  in  by  their  own  self-created 
limitations,  and  as  a  rule,  merely  exist.  The  second 
class  is  composed  of  those  who  go  to  the  other  ex- 


267 

treme,  depending  almost  entirely  upon  the  power  of 
the  spirit  to  provide  supply,  while  the  true  and  full 
use  of  the  powers  of  the  personal  man  are  either 
wholly  or  partially  neglected.  These  people  are 
buoyed  up  in  the  beginning  with  hopes  and  expecta- 
tions, and  for  a  time  their  spiritual  theory  of  life 
seems  to  work;  but  ere  long  they  find  themselves 
drifting  into  adversity  and  want,  and  are  forced  to 
return  to  the  ways  of  the  world,  as  mere  existence  is 
better  than  annihilation.  The  third  class  is  com- 
posed of  those  who  combine  the  powers  of  the  per- 
sonal man  with  the  powers  of  the  spiritual  man ;  they 
make  a  special  effort  to  turn  all  their  powers  and 
faculties  to  practical  use,  and  to  all  their  work  they 
invariably  add  the  inspiring  attitude  of  unbounded 
faith.  The  members  of  this  class  try  to  develop  all 
their  faculties  to  the  very  highest  degree;  they  try 
to  place  body,  mind  and  soul  in  the  best  working  con- 
dition ;  they  try  constantly  to  increase  their  working 
capacity  because  they  are  not  only  believers,  but 
doers;  they  are  disciples  of  work— work  that  adds 
to  the  welfare  of  the  world,  and  they  always  work  in 
faith;  they  try  to  make  the  best  use  of  everything  in 
their  possession,  but  while  trying  to  push  to  the 
front,  so  to  speak,  the  best  that  is  in  them,  they  try 
constantly  to  develop  a  higher  and  a  finer  conscious 
realization  of  the  great  truth  that  we  live  and  move 
and  have  our  being  in  the  limitless  power  of  the  Su- 
preme. 


268  THE  PATHWAY  OF  BOSES 

That  all  the  great  men  and  women  that  have  ap- 
peared in  the  history  of  the  world  have  come  forth 
from  this  last  mentioned  class  is  most  evident;  and 
that  no  person  can  ever  rise  in  the  scale  of  life  unless 
he  applies  the  method  of  this  class  is  equally  evident. 
To  depend  solely  upon  the  personal  man  is  to  merely 
exist ;  to  depend  solely  upon  the  spiritual  man  is  to  be 
a  dreamer,  not  a  doer;  but  when  the  powers  of  the  per- 
sonal man  are  combined  harmoniously  and  practically 
with  the  powers  of  the  spiritual  man,  we  cannot  only 
dream;  we  can  also  make  our  dreams  come  true. 
What  we  discern  in  the  ideal  we  can  cause  to  come 
true  in  the  real.  We  provide  practical  working  ca- 
pacity on  the  personal  side  and  limitless  power  on 
the  spiritual  side;  whatever  we  may  wish  to  do,  at- 
tain or  accomplish  in  the  great  without,  we  may  re- 
ceive all  the  wisdom,  all  the  understanding  and  all 
the  power  required  from  the  great  within.  We  shall 
thus  demonstrate  the  great  truth  that  ''All  that  the 
Father  hath  is  mine,"  not  simply  for  spiritual  con- 
templation, but  for  actual,  personal  possession  and 
use  in  the  tangible  world  today. 

That  the  powers  of  the  spiritual  man  can  be  read- 
ily combined  with  the  powers  of  the  personal  man,  in 
the  producing  of  practical  results,  is  a  fact  that  is 
constantly  being  demonstrated  in  the  lives  of  thou- 
sands. We  all  know  of  remarkable  instances  where 
people  have,  when  in  the  midst  of  extreme  want,  sick- 
ness or  despair,  placed  themselves  in  the  hands  of 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  269 

higher  power,  and  secured  emancipation  under  cir- 
cumstances that  have  seemed  miraculous.  Many  a 
person  has  found  himself  in  a  position  where  every- 
thing was  lost,  where  all  the  elements  were  against 
him,  and  where  not  a  single  ray  of  light  could  be 
found  anywhere;  but  by  placing  himself  in  touch 
with  the  power  of  the  Supreme,  and  by  going  to  work 
in  full  conscious  oneness  with  that  power,  has  caused 
everything  to  change  in  his  favor.  Many  a  person 
has  demonstrated  the  great  truth  that  by  taking  God 
with  him  in  his  work,  he  could  overcome  every  obsta- 
cle, remove  every  barrier,  vanquish  every  enemy,  dis- 
perse everything  that  was  against  him,  and  come  out 
victorious  under  circumstances  that,  in  the  beginning, 
seemed  utterly  hopeless.  It  has  been  demonstrated 
thousands  of  times  that  where  the  personal  man 
alone  was  helpless,  complete  emancipation  and  vic- 
tory were  made  possible  where  the  powers  of  the 
spiritual  man  were  combined  with  the  efforts  of  the 
personal  man.  This  is  therefore  a  principle  that  no 
person  can  afford  to  ignore,  no  matter  what  his  work 
may  be. 

Whatever  we  may  wish  to  do  or  gain,  there  must 
be  personal  effort ;  but  the  more  perfectly  we  are  con- 
scious of  the  limitless  powers  of  the  spirit  within  us, 
the  greater  will  the  results  of  those  efforts  be.  And 
this  is  not  true  of  certain  special  efforts  alone;  it  is 
true  of  all  efforts  from  the  least  significant  on  the 
physical  plane  to  the  most  important  on  the  sublime 


270  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

cosmic  plane.  It  is  true,  not  only  in  instances  of 
man's  extremity,  but  also  in  every  state  or  degree  of 
man's  prosperity.  If  the  power  of  the  spirit,  when 
combined  with  personal  effort,  can  take  man  from 
death's  door  into  perfect  health,  as  has  been  done 
thousands  of  times,  even  when  all  hope  was  lost  and 
every  other  method  had  failed;  and  if  this  same 
power,  when  combined  with  practical  work,  can  take 
man  out  of  the  lowest  depths  of  adversity,  poverty 
and  despair,  and  place  him  on  the  very  heights  of 
freedom,  power  and  limitless  supply,  is  there  any 
reason  why  the  power  of  the  spirit  can  not  be  com- 
bined with  personal  effort  in  all  the  affairs  of  every- 
day life  and  thus  give  an  ever-increasing  measure  of 
health,  happiness  and  prosperity  to  man?  Man  calls 
upon  God  when  everything  else  has  failed;  but  he 
should  call  upon  God  before  he  tries  anything  else, 
and  he  would  never  fail. 

Though  we  may  be  strong  physically  now,  and  be 
in  possession  of  exceptional  capabilities  and  advan- 
tages, we  can  not  afford  to  ignore  the  fact  for  a  mo- 
ment that  increase  comes  only  from  the  within.  "They 
that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength;" 
none  others.  The  present  strength  of  the  body  wrill 
not  hold  out  unless  it  is  constantly  replenished  from 
on  high.  The  present  capabilites  of  the  mind  will 
shortly  lose  their  brilliancy  and  power  unless  they 
are  kept  in  the  highest  state  of  perfection  through 
constant  contact  with  the  light  and  the  life  of  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  271 

soul.  It  is  not  wisdom  to  use  up  the  limited  powers 
of  the  person  and  utterly  ignore  the  great  interior 
source  of  inexhaustible  power.  Yet  man  does  this 
very  thing;  therefore,  his  person  is  weak,  his  days 
are  short,  and  his  life  but  a  trifle  better  than  mere 
existence.  There  is,  however,  a  better  way;  let  the 
powers  of  the  spiritual  man  be  constantly  combined 
with  the  life,  the  powers  and  the  efforts  of  the  per- 
sonal man,  then  shall  the  person  of  man  never  be 
weak;  his  days  may  be  lengthened  indefinitely,  and 
his  life  will  become  richer,  more  beautiful  and  more 
inspiring,  until  a  million  joys  are  blended  harmoni- 
ously in  every  moment  of  his  endless  existence. 

We  are  all  heirs  to  the  kingdom,  not  only  the  spirit- 
ual kingdom  but  the  entire  kingdom  of  life;  we  can 
receive,  however,  only  what  we  can  use ;  we  need  only 
what  we  can  use,  therefore  to  receive  more  at  any 
time  would  be  superfluous,  and  there  is  no  place  for 
the  superfluous  in  the  realms  of  divine  law.  There 
are  many  that  can  use  much,  very  much,  but  the  ma- 
jority do  not  receive  as  much  as  they  can  use  because 
they  do  not  live  and  work  in  the  consciousness  of  the 
"all  things  are  yours."  Others  receive  but  little  at 
any  time  because  they  do  not  fully  use  what  they 
already  possess.  We  draw  upon  the  universal  for 
greater  supply  in  proportion  as  we  turn  to  good  ac- 
count our  present  supply;  though  we  must  remember, 
that  10  person  can  turn  to  good  account  the  best  that 
is  in  him  now  unless  the  efforts  of  the  personal  man 


272  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

are  filled  through  and  through  with  the  powers  of 
the  spiritual  man.  The  work  that  we  do  in  faith  is 
the  only  good  work;  and  the  faith  that  we  apply  in 
work  is  the  only  true  faith. 

The  average  person  thinks  that  it  is  his  privilege 
to  continue  to  "hold"  his  possessions,  regardless  of 
use,  and  that  he  can  accumulate  as  much  as  he  likes ; 
but  this  is  not  true.  The  true  life  is  not  lived  for  the 
purpose  of  accumulating  things.  Many  have  realized 
this  and  have  gone  to  the  other  extreme,  concluding 
that  the  only  true  life  was  the  life  that  had  no  tan- 
gible possessions  whatever.  There  are  only  a  few, 
however,  who  have  taken  the  path  that  lies  directly 
between  these  two  extremes,  and  that  is  one  reason 
why  the  power  of  the  spirit  to  combine  with  the 
power  of  the  person  in  practical  life  has  not  been  as 
extensively  demonstrated  as  we  should  wish.  But  it 
is  our  privilege  to  demonstrate  the  true  law  of  com- 
plete existence,  and  when  we  do,  the  reward  will  be 
great  indeed. 

Every  individual  is  entitled  to  all  the  riches  of  the 
spiritual  kingdom,  and  in  addition,  to  the  possession 
of  as  many  things,  and  as  beautiful  things,  in  the 
visible  kingdom,  as  we  can  possibly  appreciate  and 
use  in  the  enrichment  of  all  the  realms  of  his  own 
entire  existence.  But  before  he  can  secure  all  these 
things,  he  must  cause  his  personal  nature  and  his 
spiritual  nature  to  live  together  and  work  together 
as  one.  He  must  work  for  everything  that  he  may 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  BUSES  273 

desire,  and  must  work  in  the  faith  that  every  desire 
will  be  fulfilled. 

To  express  the  law  of  this  principle  more  briefly, 
the  first  essential  is  to  make  the  best  use  possible  of 
everything  that  we  may  possess  now.  The  second 
essential  is  to  live,  think  and  work  in  faith.  He  who 
lives  in  faith  lives  in  the  spirit,  and  he  who  lives  in 
the  spirit  lives  in  God.  No  person  can  afford  to  do 
anything  without  taking  God  with  him;  no  person 
can  afford  to  think  a  single  thought  without  realiz- 
ing that  that  thought  is  created  in  the  infinite  sea  of 
divine  thought;  no  person  can  afford  to  express  a 
single  desire  without  realizing  that  that  desire  is  the 
expression  of  some  supreme,  some  great,  some  beau- 
tiful state  of  interior  existence. 

It  is  extremely  important  to  try,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible and  as  frequently  as  possible,  to  enter  into  the 
inner  consciousness  of  the  great  truth  that  "All 
things  are  yours. '  '•  As  we  grow  in  this  consciousness 
we  actually  enter  into  real,  limitless  possession;  and 
when  we  begin  to  "inwardly  feel"  that  we  possess 
the  rich  and  the  beautiful  in  limitless  supply,  we  will 
begin  to  attract  the  rich  and  the  beautiful  from  every 
source  in  the  world. 

Take  the  statement,  "All  that  the  Father  hath  is 
mine, ' '  and  mentally  dwell  upon  the  very  innermost 
truth  that  can  be  found  in  this  statement.  Try  to 
realize  what  it  means  to  possess  everything  that  there 
is  in  the  kingdom  of  the  Infinite,  and  enter  into  the 


274  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

very  soul  of  that  meaning.  Try  to  feel  the  spirit  of 
limitless,  divine  possession,  and  resolve  to  live  per- 
petually in  the  innermost  life  of  that  spirit.  The  con- 
sciousness of  limitless  supply  will  soon  become  an  ac- 
tual factor  in  mind;  and  we  can  begin  to  draw  upon 
the  limitless  when  we  are  actually  conscious  of  the 
limitless. 

When  you  actually  realize  that  "All  things  are 
yours,"  you  will  never  be  anxious  about  the  future 
any  more.  You  know  that  there  will  be  a  ready  way 
to  supply  every  need  at  the  proper  time.  You  do  not 
live  in  the  possession  of  simply  the  barest  necessities ; 
you  live  in  the  life  of  abundance,  and  the  rich  and 
the  beautiful  in  your  life  is  constantly  on  the  in- 
crease. But  you  are  never  disturbed  about  the 
greater  needs  that  you  know  will  come  in  the  future. 
You  live  in  the  positive  faith  that  when  the  greater 
needs  are  at  hand,  the  greater  supply  will  also  be  at 
hand.  And  your  faith  always  comes  true. 

To  live  in  this  faith  is  to  live  in  perfect  peace ;  we 
are  never  disturbed  about  any  threatening  circum- 
stance; we  are  never  fearful  or  afraid  any  more;  we 
know  that  the  door  will  open  when  the  time  comes; 
we  shall  surely  have  what  we  need— enough  to  sup- 
ply the  greatest  possible  need.  Having  done  our 
part  we  know  that  God  will  not  fail  in  His;  for  as 
much  greater  is  His  faithfulness  than  ours  as  the 
entire  cosmos  is  greater  than  a  single  drop  in  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  275 

sea.    "1  will  not  forsake  thee  nor  leave  thee;"  upon 
this  we  may  always  depend. 

When  you  look  into  the  future,  do  not  be  anxious 
about  methods  or  means  to  carry  out  what  the  future 
moment  may  demand.  When  you  come  to  that  place, 
God  will  be  there;  the  limitless  powers  of  infinite  life 
will  be  there;  the  wisdom,  the  light  and  the  luminous 
understanding  of  your  highest  spiritual  nature  will 
be  there;  all  of  you  will  be  there,  and  the  power  of 
your  faith  to  draw  upon  the  limitless  for  any  desire 
or  need  will  also  be  there.  Then  why  be  fearful  any 
more.  Why  be  anxious  about  anything.  All  things 
are  yours  now,  and  the  now  that  now  is,  is  eternal. 


Though  your  bark  mty  be  tempest- tossed, 
be  not  alarmed.  The  Christ  is  asleep  in  the 
ship.  You  may  call  Him  at  any  time;  and 
when  you  do  the  heavens  will  be  cleared,  and  a 
beautiful  stillness  will  come  over  the  vastness  of 
the  deep.  What  does  it  matter  to  you  what 
may  threaten  in  days  to  be;  the  Christ  will 
always  be  with  you;  wherever  you  may  choose 
to  sail  upon  the  infinite  sea  of  life,  the  Christ  will 
always  be  in  your  ship.  For  lo,  I  am  with  you 
always.  Whether  He  be  asleep  or  awake, 
where  you  are,  there  He  will  be  also.  You 
may  call  upon  Him  as  you  will,  and  peace  shall 
reign  supremely  in  your  life  once  more.  For  the 
winds  and  the  waves  shall  obey  my  will.  Then 
why  be  fearful  or  afraid  any  more.  He  can  still 
any  storm  in  the  world,  and  bring  the  silence  of 
the  heavenly  calm  wherever  His  presence 
may  be. 


CHAPTER  xxrv; 


Then  he  arose  and  rebuked  the  winds  and  the  sea; 
and  there  was  a  great  calm.  But  the  men  marveled, 
saying,  what  manner  of  man  is  this  that  even  the 
winds  and  the  sea  obey  him.— Mat.  8:  23-27. 

We  all  come  to  places  at  times  when  the  sea  of 
life  is  tempest  tossed,  and  the  winds  of  adversity  are 
mercilessly  raging  about  us ;  we  are  all  placed  in  cir- 
cumstances at  times  when  everything  seems  to  go 
wrong,  when  everything  seems  to  be  against  us,  and 
when  we  fear  lest  we  perish ;  but  at  such  moments  we 
should  remember  that  the  Christ  is  in  the  ship.  No 
matter  what  the  ship  of  life  may  be;  no  matter  what 
manner  of  men  may  be  sailing  in  that  ship,  or  what 
their  purpose  may  be,  wherever  man  may  be  found 
sailing  upon  the  sea  of  human  existence  there  the 
Christ  will  be  found  also.  Wherever  we  may  be  or 
wherever  we  may  go,  the  Christ  is  in  the  ship.  "For, 
lo,  I  am  with  you  always.'*  And  it  is  our  privilege, 
under  every  circumstance,  to  awaken  the  Christ. 
When  we  do,  he  comes  forth  invariably,  and  the 
winds  and  the  waves  will  obey. 

279 


280  THE  PATHWAY  OF  HOSES 

Whenever  we  enter  into  that  higher  and  more  sub* 
lime  state  of  being  where  we  meet  him  face  to  face, 
the  consciousness  of  the  Christ  within  us  is  awak- 
ened; we  are  in  the  Christ  state;  we  are  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Supreme  Power;  we  are  at  one  with  God;  and 
upon  us  comes  a  beautiful  calm.  The  winds  and  the 
waves  in  our  own  minds  are  stilled,  and  upon  the 
great  sea  of  thought  within  us  the  billows  are  tossing 
no  more ;  the  storm  has  ceased ;  the  black  clouds  have 
disappeared ;  all  is  beautiful  and  still ;  and  the  peace- 
ful waters  seem  radiant  with  joy  as  they  glitter  in  the 
sunbeams  from  the  smile  of  God.  We  have  opened 
our  minds  and  souls  to  the  strong  and  peaceful  pres- 
ence from  on  high ;  thus  we  have  placed  ourselves  in 
the  beautiful  calm ;  and  when  we  are  stilled,  all  that 
is  about  us  will  be  stilled  also.  As  man  is  in  the 
within,  so  will  his  life  be  in  the  without.  When  he 
can  still  the  storms  of  his  own  mind  he  can  also  still 
the  storms  of  adversity  in  his  outer  life.  It  matters 
not  what  is  taking  place  in  our  own  circumstances, 
all  must  change  when  we  change ;  all  must  be  stilled 
when  we  are  stilled;  and  whenever  we  awaken  the 
consciousness  of  the  Christ  within,  upon  us  comes  a 
beautiful  calm. 

When  we  know  that  the  Christ  is  within  at  all 
times;  when  we  know  that  whenever  we  call  upon 
the  Christ  to  come  forth,  the  winds  and  the  waves  will 
obey;  and  when  we  know  that  the  very  hour  the 
(Christ  is  awakened,  everything  in  life  will  be  stilled, 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  281 

harmony  will  come  out  of  everything,  peace  will  come 
out  of  everything,  good  will  come  out  of  everything— 
when  we  positively  know  this,  need  we  have  any  fear 
whatever  concerning  the  future?  Need  we  fear  op- 
posing circumstances  or  adversity?  Need  we  fear 
any  condition  that  might  arise?  Nothing  can  happen 
that  need  disturb  us  in  the  least.  The  Christ  is 
always  in  the  ship ;  we  may  call  upon  him  at  any  time; 
he  will  never  fail  to  come  forth,  and  when  he  does, 
there  will  be  a  great  calm ;  peace  will  reign  once  more, 
and  all  will  be  well  again. 

Those  who  do  not  know  that  the  Christ  is  in  the 
ship,  are  living  constantly  in  fear;  they  reason  that 
almost  anything  might  happen  to  place  obstacles  in 
their  way,  or  that  certain  conditions  might  arise  to 
upset  everything  they  had  undertaken  to  do ;  and  the 
things  they  fear  usually  come  upon  them;  but  when 
they  know  that  there  is  a  power  within  that  can  be 
awakened  at  any  time— a  power  that  is  greater  than 
anything  in  the  world,  fear  may  be  banished  for  all 
time.  When  this  great  truth  is  realized  we  need 
never  be  concerned  about  the  future  any  more,  and 
anxious  thought  may  be  banished  forever;  whatever 
may  happen  in  the  future  there  is  a  power  within 
that  can  change  anything  as  we  may  desire,  and  turn 
anything  to  good  account  as  we  may  desire.  We  may 
thus  live  in  the  conviction  that  all  things  will  work 
together  for  good — for  greater  and  greater  good,  and 


282  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

we  may  know  that  this  conviction  is  based  upon  noth- 
ing less  than  eternal  truth. 

The  Christ  is  always  in  the  ship,  always  in  every 
ship  that  may  pass  upon  the  sea  of  life;  and  he  may 
seem  to  be  asleep;  we  may  not  be  aware  of  his  pres- 
ence within  us,  but  our  unconsciousness  of  his  pres- 
ence does  not  prove  that  he  is  asleep,  or  that  he  is 
never  there.  The  Christ  is  never  asleep.  The  only 
begotten  son  of  God  that  is  within  all,  within  every- 
thing, that  is  the  ruling  power  in  every  soul,  the  Su- 
preme I  Am  in  every  soul,  is  never  asleep.  The  state- 
ment that  the  Christ  was  asleep  in  the  ship  is  meta- 
phorical. It  is  not  the  Christ  that  is  asleep,  but  our 
own  consciousness  of  the  Christ.  When  our  own  con- 
sciousness of  the  Christ  is  asleep  we  are  not  aware 
of  his  presence,  and  he  seems  to  be  asleep  to  us. 
When  we  are  not  aware  of  this  great  spiritual  power 
within  us,  we  are  unconscious  of  that  power;  we  are 
asleep,  so  to  speak,  as  far  as  the  existence  of  that 
power  is  concerned,  and  therefore  will  never  think  of 
awakening  that  power.  But  when  we  have  attained 
sufficient  spiritual  discernment  to  know  the  power  of 
the  spirit  in  our  own  soul,  we  shall  begin  to  call  forth 
that  power.  From  that  moment  higher  power  will 
be  with  us,  and  we  shall  no  longer  be  victims  of  the 
tempest  tossed  sea;  whenever  the  billows  begin  to 
toss  or  the  storms  begin  to  rage,  we  may  call  forth  the 
Christ;  he  will  always  be  with  us,  and  will  always  re- 
spond to  the  call ;  he  will  answer  our  prayer  with  his 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  283 

own  presence,  and  in  his  presence  all  is  beautiful  and 
still. 

This  same  unconsciousness  of  the  presence  of  the 
Christ  within  also  explains  the  seeming  loss  of  the 
soul.  The  soul  is  the  Christ  individualized,  created 
in  the  image  of  God,  and  therefore  can  never  be  lost. 
The  soul  is  co-existent  with  God,  always  is  with  God ; 
and  that  which  is  eternally  with  God  can  never  be 
lost.  But  the  personal  man  is  sometimes  so  engulfed 
in  materiality  that  all  view  of  the  soul  is  lost.  The 
soul  is  always  there  within  us,  ever  abiding  in  the 
shining  glory  of  the  kingdom  of  God  within  us;  the 
soul  is  safe,  always  was  safe  and  always  will  be  safe — 
safe  in  the  life  eternal ;  but  if  we  are  living  in  mate- 
riality, we  do  not  see  the  soul,  we  do  not  feel  the  soul, 
we  are  utterly  unconscious  of  the  soul  and  therefore 
conclude  that  there  is  no  soul.  Or,  if  we  are  suf- 
ficiently awakened  to  feel  the  soul,  but  not  sufficiently 
developed  in  spiritual  discernment  to  know  the  di- 
vine nature  of  the  soul,  we  may  conclude  that  the 
soul  is  weak  and  imperfect  as  the  flesh,  and  that  it 
may  go  down  into  pain,  bondage  and  misery  at  any 
time,  now  or  in  the  future.  And  thus  has  arisen  the 
seeming  need  of  the  doctrine  of  future  salvation  for 
the  soul.  Such  a  doctrine,  however,  is  not  based  upon 
the  spiritual  conception  of  the  soul,  but  was  formed 
when  we  looked  upon  the  soul  through  the  confusion 
of  materiality.  The  soul  is  never  lost,  never  can  be 
lost;  and  as  you  are  the  soul,  you  can  never  be  lost. 


284  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

The  soul  is  always  safe  with  God,  therefore  you  are 
always  safe  with  God  Realize  this  truth,  and  you 
will  find  the  soul;  you  will  find  that  you  are  identical 
with  the  soul  and  that  all  is  well  with  the  soul  now  as 
all  is  well  with  God  now. 

To  save  the  soul  is  not  to  save  the  soul,  because  the 
soul  neeas  no  salvation,  but  to  restore  the  power  of 
the  soul  as  the  supreme  ruling  power  in  your  whole 
life.  Enthrone  the  soul  in  every  thought  and  action 
and  you  save  the  soul,  not  from  sin,  because  it  is  free 
from  sin,  but  you  save  the  soul  from  your  own 
personal  neglect.  The  power  of  the  soul  is  no  longer 
neglected  but  is  saved  for  actual  use  in  the  realiza- 
tion of  health,  freedom  and  mastery  throughout  your 
entire  being;  thus  you  gain  emancipation  for  every 
element  in  your  being,  and  that  is  the  salvation  we 
seek.  We  are  saved  in  the  true  sense  of  the  term 
when  the  divine  power  of  the  soul  reigns  so  com- 
pletely throughout  the  mind  and  the  body  that  all 
the  ills  of  life  are  completely  banished  from  mind 
and  body.  We  are  saved  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
term  when  the  body  is  filled  with  the  power  of  health 
and  wholeness,  when  the  mind  is  illumined  with  the 
light  of  eternal  truth,  and  when  the  soul  is  abiding 
forever  in  the  splendors  of  the  cosmic  realms.  And 
such  a  salvation  is  realized  when  we  no  longer  ig- 
nore the  soul,  but  place  the  soul  upon  the  throne  of 
being  as  complete  master  of  everything  that  we  may 
ever  think  or  do  or  say.  To  enthrone  the  soul,  the 


285 

principle  is  to  follow,  not  the  desires  or  the  tenden- 
cies of  the  person,  but  the  supreme  purpose  of  the 
spirit,  and  to  depend  absolutely  upon  the  power  of 
the  soul  in  all  things,  knowing  that  the  power  of  the 
soul  can  see  you  through  no  matter  what  your  life, 
your  work  or  your  purpose  may  be. 

The  belief  of  the  many  is  that  whatever  we  may 
wish  to  accomplish  we  must  depend  wholly  upon  our- 
selves; and  that  we  must  depend  upon  ourselves  as 
far  as  our  ability  and  power  may  go,  is  very  true,  but 
it  is  not  true  that  we  should  depend  "wholly"  upon 
ourselves.  We  can  receive  power  and  aid  from 
sources  that  are  above  the  personal  self;  and  what 
is  equally  true,  no  one  ever  scaled  the  heights  in  life 
that  did  not  depend  constantly  upon  these  higher 
sources.  The  best  ideas,  the  noblest  thoughts  and 
the  greatest  truths  that  have  ever  appeared  in  the 
world,  came  to  man  when  his  mind  was  in  the  upper 
regions,  in  touch  with  the  spirit  sublime;  and  the 
power  with  which  all  great  things  have  been  wrought, 
lias  come  from  the  same  source.  Men  and  women 
who  depend  wholly  upon  themselves— their  personal 
selves,  are  weaklings;  they  come  and  go  without 
doing  anything  aside  from  sustaining  existence;  but 
men  and  women  who  depend  upon  Supreme  Power  as 
well  as  their  own  ability  to  work  out  their  purpose  in 
harmony  with  that  Power,  invariably  become  giants 
in  mind  and  soul.  It  is  the  deeds  of  such  minds  that 
become  lights  on  the  path  to  greater  things;  it  is  the 


286  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

lives  of  such  souls  that  reveal  to  the  race  what  tru 
spiritual  existence  has  in  store ;  and  it  is  the  work  o  . 
such  men  and  women  that  has  given  us  the  light,  th  N 
freedom  and  the  happiness  that  we  now  enjoy. 

You  may  live  in  absolute  darkness  today ;  you  ma, 
not  know  where  to  turn ;  your  sky  may  be  black  am 
a  raging  storm  may  be  almost  upon  you ;  you  can  se< 
nothing  but  destruction  as  you  have  no  idea  what  t< 
do;  you  are  about  to  give  up  and  perish,  but  as  this 
thought  passes  through  your  mind  you  remember  tht 
"last  resort;"  you  remember  the  great  statement. 
Call  upon  me  and  I  will  answer  thee.    You  then  call 
upon  that  power  that  should  be  sought  first,  but  that 
men  usually  seek  last  when  in  trouble.    You  turn  to 
the  Christ  that  is  asleep  in  the  ship.    You  open  your 
mind  to  light  and  power  from  above,  and  almost  at 
once  there  is  a  rift  in  the  cloud.    You  are  in  absolute 
darkness  no  more,  and  the  threatening  storm  is  be- 
ginning to  * '  break. ' '    You  pass  more  completely  into 
the  spirit  of  the  Christ,  and  you  realize  the  beautiful 
calm.    The  clouds  are  gone ;  you  are  in  the  light !  you 
can  see  everything  clearly,  and  you  know  what  to  do. 
You  are  now  in  touch  with  that  upper  region  from 
which  you  may  receive  better  ideas,  greater  thoughts 
and  more  valuable  truths  than  you  ever  received  be- 
fore; in  consequence,  you  will  find  precisely  what  you 
may  need  in  securing  emancipation  from  external 
adversity,  and  in  building  for  those  greater  things 
that  alone  can  satisfy  the  aspirations  of  the  soul. 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  287 

The  belief  that  the  Christ  within  can  still  the  winds 
and  the  waves  of  every  condition  that  we  may  meet 
in  life,  and  change  every  circumstance  into  one  of 
calmness,  harmony  and  well-being,  is  a  truth  that 
can  be  taken  into  every  event  of  daily  life.  No  mat- 
ter what  may  come;  no  matter  what  the  obstacle  or 
the  difficulty  may  be,  there  is  something  within  us 
that  is  greater  than  anything  in  the  world.  The 
Christ  is  with  us  in  the  ship;  we  may  call  him  at  any 
time;  he  can  still' any  storm,  change  any  circumstance 
and  remove  every  obstacle  that  we  shall  ever  meet. 
His  power  is  not  applicable  to  conditions  of  mind 
and  soul  alone,  but  to  physical  conditions  and  cir- 
cumstances as  well.  There  is  nothing  that  will  not 
respond  to  the  ruling  will  of  the  Christ  within,  and 
there  is  no  place  in  practical  life  where  the  power  of 
this  will  may  not  be  applied  to  the  greatest  advan- 
tage. He  who  lives  in  constant  touch  with  Supreme 
Power,  is  always  in  possession  of  the  most  power, 
and  he  may  apply  this  added  power  in  body,  mind 
and  soul.  "They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  re- 
new their  strength;"  but  this  added  strength  does 
not  simply  appear  in  the  spirit;  it  appears  also  in 
the  mind  and  the  body.  Therefore,  it  is  always 
profitable  to  be  in  touch  with  Supreme  Power,  and  to 
depend  upon  Supreme  Power,  whether  our  work  be 
physical,  mental  or  spiritual.  It  is  not  wisdom  to 
depend  solely  upon  the  lesser  things  of  the  person 
when  we  may  constantly  receive  power  and  aid  and 


288  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

inspiration  from  the  greater  things  of  the  spirit.  All 
things  are  for  man;  and  the  use  of  all  things  should 
ever  be  his  purpose,  no  matter  what  his  work  may  be. 
We  have  found  a  perfect  remedy  for  fear,  because 
he  who  knows  that  the  Christ  is  always  in  the  ship 
will  fear  nothing.  To  him  no  ill  can  come  whatever. 
Though  the  approaching  storm  may  sweep  every- 
thing before  it,  its  fury  will  be  dissipated  into  noth- 
ing when  it  comes  to  the  ship  where  the  Christ  is 
awake.  But  the  Christ  is  in  every  ship,  and  he  will 
come  forth  in  every  ship  and  utterly  put  to  naught 
the  impending  danger.  Whatever  our  position  in 
life  may  be,  or  whatever  we  may  be  called  upon  to 
do,  when  we  know  that  the  Christ  is  with  us  we  may 
proceed  calmly,  peacefully  and  serenely  in  the  full 
conviction  that  nothing  but  good  will  come.  We 
need  fear  nothing  because  there  will  be  nothing  to 
fear.  The  turning  of  the  tide  may  sometimes  be  de- 
layed until  the  eleventh  hour,  and  even  until  the  fifty- 
ninth  minute  of  that  hour;  but  the  turn  will  come 
without  fail.  We  may  continue  positively  in  that 
faith.  "I  will  not  forsake  thee  or  leave  thee."  This 
is  the  truth,  and  we  can,  under  every  circumstance, 
demonstrate  this  truth,  providing  we  never  fail  to 
call  the  Christ.  We  must  go  to  the  Christ  first ;  then 
he  will  come  to  us  and  answer  our  prayer  whatever 
that  prayer  may  be.  We  must  place  ourselves  in 
touch  with  Supreme  Power  first;  then  that  power  will 
come  with  us;  and  when  Supreme  Power  is  with  us 


289 

we  have  nothing  to  fear.  When  the  power  of  the 
Supreme  is  on  our  side  all  things  will  be  on  our  side; 
and  God  will  go  with  us  the  very  moment  we  choose 
to  go  with  God. 

When  the  day  is  calm,  it  is  well;  but  if  it  is  not 
calm,  it  is  also  well;  it  will  soon  become  calm  if  you 
call  upon  the  Christ,  for  "the  winds  and  the  waves 
shall  obey  my  will. ' '  If  the  future  seems  bright,  you 
may  rejoice ;  but  if  the  future  seems  dark,  as  dark  as 
the  blackest  night,  you  may  also  rejoice;  there  is  a 
power  within  you  that  can  put  adversity  to  flight  and 
turn  misfortune  and  sorrow  into  the  glory  of  a  cloud- 
less day.  When  all  that  is  good  is  coming  into  your 
life  you  may  be  grateful ;  but  when  all  that  is  good  is 
passing  out  of  your  life  you  may  also  be  grateful ;  the 
Christ  that  is  within  you  can  not  only  save  your  ship 
from  every  threatening  storm  and  impending  danger, 
but  he  can  also  guide  your  ship  towards  the  shores 
of  richer  treasures  and  greater  good  than  you  ever 
knew  before.  Grieve  not  when  in  the  midst  of  loss; 
rejoice  with  great  joy,  and  be  grateful  from  the  deep- 
est depth  of  your  heart.  Call  upon  the  Christ  and 
you  will  regain  everything  and  more.  There  never 
was  and  never  will  be  any  real  occasion  for  disap- 
pointment or  tears;  when  the  lesser  disappears,  turn 
to  the  greater;  you  will  find  the  gates  ajar,  and  you 
may  enter  at  once  into  pastures  green. 

The  power  of  that  will  that  causes  the  winds  and 
the  waves  to  obey,  comes  invariably  from  the  depths 


290  THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES 

of  spiritual  existence.  It  is  the  power  of  the  Christ 
enthroned  in  the  soul,  and  whoever  will  recognize  and 
call  forth  the  reigning  Christ  within,  will  gain  pos- 
session of  such  a  will.  But  we  can  never  gain  such  a 
will  so  long  as  we  try  to  dominate  the  lives  of  others 
or  try  to  forcefully  control  external  circumstances  or 
events.  Nor  can  we  gain  such  a  will  so  long  as  we  try 
to  will  with  the  outer  mind.  The  real  will  comes  from 
the  great  spiritual  depths  of  being,  and  as  it  is  com- 
ing forth  it  causes  the  being  of  man  to  become  deeply 
calm  and  enormously  strong.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  man  of  real  will  power  and  the  man  of 
mere  external  force  is  readily  discerned.  When  you 
meet  the  latter  you  find  a  great  deal  of  domineering 
effort  expressed  through  the  most  superficial  of  ac- 
tion; but  you  find  the  man,  himself,  weak  and  easily 
overcome  by  almost  any  adverse  condition;  when  you 
meet  the  former,  however,  you  will  find  yourself  in 
the  presence  of  a  truly  strong  man,  a  man  who  is 
strong  and  alive  all  the  way  through  to  the  very 
depths  of  his  inexhaustible  being,  a  man  who  is  ac- 
tually conscious  of  irresistible  power;  and*  you  in- 
wardly know  that  such  a  man  cannot  be  moved  by 
any  power  in  the  world;  he  has  gained  possession  of 
that  something  that  is  greater  than  anything  in  the 
world,  and  wherever  he  may  journey  upon  the  sea  of 
life,  the  winds  and  the  waves  must  obey. 

To  depend  exclusively  upon  the  personality  of 
Jesus  and  that  power  of  the  Christ  that  manifested 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  291 

through  him  twenty  centuries  ago,  is  to  ignore  the 
present  power  of  the  Christ  within  us.  Thousands 
are  doing  this,  and,  in  consequence,  continue  in  sick- 
ness, trouble  and  sorrow.  To  depend  upon  any  per- 
sonality, no  matter  how  sacred  or  how  highly  de- 
veloped, is  to  depend  upon  the  outer  form  and  ignore 
the  interior  spirit.  Such  a  practice  leads  into  mate- 
riality away  from  spirituality,  and  materiality  meaas 
bondage.  To  follow  the  Christ  is  not  to  worship  the 
person  of  Jesus  but  to  follow  absolutely  the  light  and 
the  spirit  of  the  Christ  in  your  own  soul  today.  The 
power  that  can  calm  the  waves  on  every  tempest- 
tossed  sea  does  not  come  through  any  external  per- 
sonality; such  a  power  can  come  only  through  the 
great  spiritual  depths  of  your  own  soul,  or,  to  state 
it  differently,  from  those  sublime  spiritual  heights 
within  where  the  Christ  reigns  eternally.  When  we 
follow  the  Christ  that  is  here  today,  the  Christ  that 
reigns  in  the  spiritual  kingdom  within  today,  we 
shall  steadily  grow  in  spirituality,  emancipating 
mind  and  body  from  every  form  of  bondage  and  from 
every  condition  of  materiality,  until  that  freedom 
that  comes  from  the  truth  divine  has  been  realized 
in  its  greatest  measure.  Then  we  may  also  say,  My 
yoke  is  easy  and  my  burden  is  light.  Then  we  may 
also  speak  the  great  word,  Peace,  Be  Still,  and  to  us 
shall  come  the  beautiful  calm. 


Rock  of  Ages,  truth  divine. 
Strong  foundation,  ever  mine; 
Safe,  secure,  I  here  remain. 
Free  from  evil,  sin  and  pain; 
Living  ever  in  the  right; 
Fixed  on  high  with  souls  of  light. 

On  the  rock  of  truth  I  stand, 
Destiny  at  my  command; 
Filled  with  power  from  on  high, 
Boundless  good  forever  nigh; 
Far  above  the  world  of  wrong. 
Safe  with  truth,  so  firm  and  strong 

Every  height  in  truth's  domain, 
I  shall  reach  and  thus  obtain 
Every  wish  within  my  heart 
For  no  blessing  can  depart; 
All  of  good  is  ever  mine. 
On  the  rock  of  truth  divine 


CHAPTER  XXV 

FOR  I  HAVE  OVERCOME  THE  WORLD 

These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye 
may  have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  have  tribulation: 
but  be  of  good  cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world.— 
John  16:33. 

There  are  two  distinct  worlds  open  to  man  in  his 
present  state  of  existence;  in  the  one  he  finds  tribu- 
lation; in  the  other  he  finds  peace;  the  first  is  mate- 
rial; the  other  is  spiritual,  and  it  is  man's  privilege  to 
choose  which  one  he  would  have  as  his  present  place 
of  abode.  If  he  selects  the  material,  he  sacrifices 
everything  that  has  real  value  in  life;  he  secures  a 
few  fleeting  pleasures  and  much  pain;  not  a  single 
moment  gives  real  satisfaction,  and  nothing  that  he 
can  do  produces  the  results  expected. 

But  when  he  selects  the  spiritual,  he  sacrifices 
nothing  that  is  good;  he  secures  all  the  joy  that  life 
can  give;  his  pains  are  few,  if  any,  and  when  they 
do  come,  they  come  to  lift  him  higher;  every  moment 
is  rich,  every  hour  is  thoroughly  worth  living,  and 
there  are  many  periods  of  time  when  his  soul  is  lifted 
to  the  supreme  ecstasies  of  the  highest  heavens; 

295 


296  THE  PATHWAY  OF  BOSES 

whatever  he  does  he  builds  wiser  than  he  knew,  and 
he  not  only  receives  everything  expected,  but  more. 

Therefore,  those  who  understand  what  the  spirit- 
ual life  holds  in  store,  may  be  of  good  cheer;  their 
sorrows  and  tribulations  are  over;  better  days  are  at 
hand ;  the  words  of  the  Christ  have  prepared  the  way, 
and  that  way  leads  to  peace.  No  matter  what  exter- 
nal conditions  may  be ;  no  matter  what  circumstances 
we  may  be  in  now;  we  may  be  of  good  cheer.  "I 
have  overcome  the  world";  and  in  Him  we  may  live 
whenever  we  so  desire.  The  power  of  the  Clirist  can 
overcome  anything  and  change  anything,  and  that 
power  is  in  us.  Then  why  should  we  not  rejoice,  and 
rejoice  in  Him  alway? 

There  is  something  within  us  that  is  greater  than 
things,  and  it  is  our  privilege  to  claim  the  power  of 
that  something  now.  "I  have  overcome  the  world 
now,  and  every  soul  may  live  in  Me  now."  That 
means  emancipation  now  for  all  who  will  receive  it. 
Freedom  is  not  for  some  other  world,  but  for  the  life 
we  are  living  today.  We  are  not  required  to  live  in 
tribulation  at  any  time  during  present  existence;  the 
way  to  complete  emancipation  is  before  us  at  all 
times.  I  am  the  way.  Whoever  will  transcend  per- 
sonal consciousness  and  enter  into  the  consciousness 
of  I  Am  will  enter  that  life  that  is  not  of  this  world, 
and  he  will  gain  that  power  that  can  overcome  any- 
thing that  may  exist  in  this  world. 

To  enter  the  supreme  life  of  the  Christ  is  to  gain 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  297 

the  supreme  power  of  the  Christ;  and  to  steadily 
grow  in  the  consciousness  of  that  life  and  power  is  to 
rise  out  of  every  tribulation  until  complete  emanci- 
pation has  been  gained.  That  supreme  life  is  in 
store  for  us ;  it  already  exists  in  the  supreme  I  Am  of 
our  own  being;  this  I  Am  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  only 
begotten  of  God,  the  Christ  in  us ;  and  the  Christ  that 
is  in  each  one  of  us  is  one  with  each  one  of  us.  That 
is  how  "I  am  in  the  Father,  and  ye  in  me.'7 

This  supreme  oneness  wherein  the  soul  is  one  with 
the  Son  and  the  Son  is  one  with  the  Father,  is  real ; 
it  is  not  merely  in  thought  or  in  feeling;  it  is  not 
solely  an  abstract  state  of  being;  it  is  as  real  and  as 
tangible  as  life  itself,  and  every  element  that  per- 
tains to  that  oneness  is  as  real  and  as  tangible  as  life 
itself.  I  am  the  way,  and  you  are  that  I  Am;  you 
must  be  or  you  could  not  be  one  with  the  Father.  If 
you  are  not  that  I  Am  you  would  be  separated  from 
God,  and  no  soul  can  be  separate  from  God  and  live. 
Claim  your  divine  sonship;  claim  your  divine  inher- 
itance ;  claim  that  supreme  power  that  overcomes  the 
world;  it  belongs  to  you;  it  is  you;  know  this  truth 
and  this  truth  shall  make  you  free. 

To  believe  that  you  are  a  mere,  weak,  human  being 
is  not  to  be  in  the  Christ ;  when  you  live  in  the  Christ 
you  are  filled  through  and  through,  with  supreme 
power,  and  you  know  neither  weakness  nor  tribula- 
tion any  more.  This  is  evidence  that  you  are  in  the 
Christ.  When  you  live  in  Him  you  are  stronger  than 


298  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

any  adversity  that  is  in  the  world;  you  remain  un- 
touched, unmoved  and  undisturbed  no  matter  what 
may  threaten  in  the  world;  you  are  in  Him  and  in 
Him  you  have  found  peace.  You  have  entered  the 
spiritual  world,  and  I  Am  the  door  to  that  world; 
you  have  risen  to  that  supreme  state  of  being  where 
you  can  say,  in  the  spirit  of  eternal  truth,  I  Am,  and 
through  the  power  of  that  truth  you  have  overcome 
the  world. 

The  attitude  of  overcoming  is  usually  thought  of 
as  being  inseparably  connected  with  resistance,  and 
as  being  directly  antagonistic,  in  its  action,  toward 
that  which  is  to  be  overcome.  Nearly  every  person, 
when  trying  to  overcome  anything,  begins  to  resist, 
begins  to  antagonize,  begins  to  work  against  that 
which  is  not  desired.  Accordingly,  he  does  not  suc- 
ceed because  he  must  work  in  the  opposite  direction 
before  his  purpose  can  be  fulfilled.  The  first  prin- 
ciple in  overcoming  is  to  give  no  thought  whatever  to 
that  which  is  not  desired.  The  more  completely  we 
can  forget  that  which  we  wish  to  overcome,  the  bet- 
ter. The  second  principle  is  to  give  our  whole  atten- 
tion to  that  something  which  we  know  we  shall  real- 
ize when  we  have  overcome.  If  a  person  is  in  adver- 
sity he  knows  that  when  this  adversity  is  overcome 
certain  most  desirable  conditions  will  be  realized. 
Then  let  him  begin  at  once  to  give  his  whole  atten- 
tion to  those  desirable  conditions.  By  giving  his 
whole  time,  thought  and  energy  to  the  attainment  of 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  299 

that  which  is  desired,  he  will  invariably  overcome 
and  rise  out  of  that  which  is  not  desired.  We  over- 
come the  wrong  by  turning  completely  away  from  the 
wrong,  and  giving  all  our  life  and  power  to  the 
greater  realization  of  the  right.  This  is  the  secret 
of  overcoming. 

When  we  devote  all  the  power  of  thought,  all  the 
power  of  soul,  all  the  power  of  life  to  the  constant 
attainment  of  greater  and  better  things,  we  shall  as- 
cend perpetually  in  the  scale  of  existence.  This 
means  perpetual  growth,  and,  in  consequence,  the 
elimination  of  evil,  because  all  evil  is  caused  by  re- 
tarded growth.  The  purpose  of  life  is  to  move  up- 
ward and  onward  forever;  to  live  is  to  live  more;  but 
no  person  is  actually  living  more  unless  he  is  living 
more  every  single  moment.  The  moment  he  begins 
to  live  more  he  begins  to  ascend,  and  when  he  begins 
to  grow  into  the  greater  he  begins  to  grow  out  of  the 
lesser.  When  he  grows  into  the  right  he  grows  out 
of  the  wrong;  he  gains  freedom  from  that  which  is 
not  desired  by  entering  more  fully  into  the  life  and 
the  spirit  of  that  which  is  desired.  But  the  moment 
he  ceases  to  live  more,  he  retards  his  growth;  he  vio- 
lates the  purpose  of  his  life,  and  instead  of  supply- 
ing more  life  he  supplies  less  life;  his  real  nature, 
however,  demands  more  and  more  life,  and  therefore, 
demand  and  supply  will  at  once  become  unequal. 
There  will,  accordingly,  be  a  lack  of  something  in  his 
life,  and  every  evil  that  man  has  ever  met  came  orig- 


300  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSEb 

inally  from  a  lack  of  something.  Real  life  demands 
the  living  of  more  and  more  life;  but  when  man  fails 
to  live  more  and  more,  the  natural  demand  in  life 
will  not  be  fully  supplied;  the  lack  of  one  or  more 
things  in  human  existence  will  be  the  result,  and  con- 
ditions of  evil  invariably  follow. 

Real  life  is  lived  in  the  individuality,  the  soul,  or 
the  real  man;  and  so  long  as  we  consciously  live  in 
the  real  man,  or  in  the  I  Am  of  being  we  shall  con- 
tinue to  live  more  and  more.  We  shall  thus  realize 
the  fullness  of  life  constantly,  and  constantly  grow 
into  a  larger  measure  of  that  fullness.  Life  will  be 
full;  there  will  be  no  lack  of  life,  and  no  retarded 
growth  in  life;  in  consequence,  there  will  be  no  evil 
in  life ;  we  shall  have  perfect  freedom  and  there  will 
be  nothing  to  overcome.  Accordingly,  we  shall  fully 
comply  with  the  great  statement,  the  true  way  to 
overcome  is  to  so  live  that  there  is  nothing  to  over- 
come. However,  when  we  do  not  consciously  live  in 
the  individuality,  or  in  the  real  man,  but  live  con- 
sciously in  the  personality  only,  we  are  not  in  touch 
with  the  constantly  ascending  current  of  real  life; 
we  are  not  in  touch  with  that  greater  measure  of  life 
that  will  enable  us  to  live  more  and  more  life.  A  lack 
of  life  will  at  once  be  felt,  and  here  we  have  the  orig- 
inal cause  of  every  ill,  every  wrong  and  every  unde- 
sirable condition  that  man  can  know.  This  is  the 
real  fall;  conscious  living  falling  down  from  the  liv- 
ing of  unlimited  life  in  the  individuality  to  the  living 


301 


of  limited  life  in  the  personality.  But  this  fall  did  not 
take  place  only  once  ages  ago ;  it  is  taking  place  every 
day  in  nearly  every  mind,  and  is  taking  place  many 
times  a  day  in  most  minds.  To  be  saved  from  this 
fall,  which  is  the  only  fall,  proceed  to  live  in  the 
spirit,  in  the  soul,  in  the  real  life  of  the  I  Am  of 
being.  Express  the  life  more  abundant  in  the  per- 
sonality, but  live  in  the  individuality.  By  living 
consciously  and  constantly  in  the  individuality  you 
will  live  in  the  life  more  abundant.  You  will  live  the 
limitless  life,  and  what  we  live  we  express.  We  ex- 
press in  the  personal  man  whatever  we  live  in  the 
real  man;  and  therefore  when  we  live  the  limitless 
life  in  the  real  man  we  express  the  limitless  in  the 
personal  man;  thus  the  personality  is  ever  filled  with 
the  life  more  abundant;  there  will  be  no  lack  of  life 
anywhere  in  the  being  of  man;  and  there  can  be  no 
evil  where  there  is  no  lack  of  life. 

To  try  to  remove  or  overcome  evil  is  nothing  but 
wasted  effort;  evil  is  not  a  thing  but  a  condition  aris- 
ing from  a  lack  of  life.  When  necessary  life  is 
supplied,  there  will  be  no  further  lack  of  life,  and 
where  there  is  no  lack  of  life  there  can  be  no  evil.  To 
antagonize  evil,  to  resist  evil,  to  work  against  evil 
will  not  remove  evil.  Supply  the  life  more  abundant 
and  evil  will  disappear  of  itself.  Evil  is  simply  emp- 
tiness, and  no  place  can  be  empty  when  every  place 
is  full.  To  supply  the  life  more  abundant,  live  in  the 
soul,  in  the  real  man.  Do  not  establish  yourself  in 


302  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

the  personality;  establish  yourself  in  the  individu- 
ality and  live  in  the  source  of  life  instead  of  in  the 
partial  manifestation  of  life.  This  is  the  simple  se- 
cret. Go  up  into  more  life  and  you  overcome  every- 
thing that  is  not  desirable  in  life.  Do  not  try  to 
overcome  anything;  simply  begin  to  live  more.  Give 
no  thought  to  evil ;  never  try  to  remove  evil ;  give  all 
your  thought  to  the  attainment  of  the  good,  and  di- 
rect all  your  effort  towards  the  attainment  of  an  ever- 
increasing  measure  of  good.  When  you  see  evil,  do 
not  become  indifferent ;  proceed  at  once  to  add  to  the 
good;  when  the  good  is  on  the  increase  evil  is  on  the 
decrease ;  this  is  invariably  the  law ;  and  the  good  will 
begin  to  increase  the  moment  we  begin  to  live  more. 
The  same  principle  should  be  applied  in  every 
thought,  action  or  relation  in  human  life.  We  should 
never  emphasize  or  ever  recognize  that  which  is  not 
desired;  but  that  which  is  desired  should  be  recog- 
nized constantly  and  be  emphasized  most  positively 
at  every  opportunity.  When  we  meet  others,  their 
imperfections  and  shortcomings  should  be  over- 
looked, while  their  good  qualities  should  be  given 
special  attention.  When  we  think  of  ourselves  we 
should  apply  the  same  rule,  and  we  should  apply  it 
universally  in  all  physical,  mental  and  spiritual  train- 
ing. The  child  that  is  trained  in  this  manner  from 
birth  will  naturally  become  extra  ordinary.  When  all 
the  power  that  a  person  may  possess  is  employed  in 
the  building  of  greater  things,  there  must  be  great 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  303 

results,  even  though  the  power  originally  possessed 
be  limited.  The  average  person,  however,  employs 
but  a  fraction  of  his  power  in  the  upbuilding  proc- 
ess; the  remainder  is  employed  in  resisting  evil  and 
adversity.  The  reason  why  we  are  not  higher  in  the 
scale  of  life,  and  not  more  perfectly  developed  in 
body,  mind  and  soul,  is  because  we  have  emphasized 
our  imperfections,  and  have  failed  to  give  our  good 
qualities  special  attention.  You  give  your  life  to  that 
which  you  emphasize;  therefore  give  no  thought  to 
weakness  or  imperfection;  give  all  your  thought  to 
those  desirable  qualities  that  you  wish  to  build  up; 
your  worthy  qualities  will  soon  become  so  strong 
that  weakness  can  no  longer  exist  in  your  nature. 
Build  up  what  you  want ;  that  is  how  you  overcome 
and  remove  what  you  do  not  want.  The  more  fully 
we  can  concentrate  the  whole  of  attention  upon  that 
which  we  desire,  the  sooner  it  will  be  realized;  and 
when  that  which  is  desired  is  realized,  that  which  is 
not  desired  can  exist  no  more ;  therefore  give  all  your 
thought,  all  your  power,  all  your  life,  and  the  whole 
of  your  attention  to  that  which  is  desired;  do  not  try 
to  remove  the  lesser  but  work  uninterruptedly  for 
the  greater.  The  lesser  is  left  further  and  further  in 
the  rear  as  you  approach  the  greater  goal  that  lies 
before  you. 

The  process  of  overcoming  is  an  ascending  proc- 
ess, with  the  eye  fixed  upon  the  eternal  mountain 
tops  of  spiritual  supremacy.  Give  constant  recogni- 


304  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

tion  to  the  very  highest  states  of  spiritual  supremacy 
that  you  can  possibly  discern,  and  desire  all  the  ele- 
ments of  your  being  to  move  perpetually  towards 
those  sublime  states.  You  thus  produce  this  ascend- 
ing process;  you  will  begin  to  grow  out  of,  to  rise  out 
of  everything  that  you  have  wished  to  overcome;  and 
when  this  ascending  process  has  been  placed  in  full, 
continuous  action,  there  will  be  nothing  further  to 
overcome.  The  wrongs  that  we  wish  to  overcome 
have  been,  produced  by  retarded  growth,  but  when 
we  are  ever  rising  into  more  and  more  life,  growth 
will  no  longer  be  retarded ;  and,  in  consequence,  there 
will  be  no  further  wrongs  to  overcome.  It  is  there- 
fore evident  that  if  you  are  still  meeting  things  to 
overcome,  you  have  not  learned  to  live  more  and 
more;  you  are  still  permitting  yourself  to  fall  down 
from  the  world  of  real  life  into  the  world  of  tempo- 
rary conditions;  you  are  still  living  in  the  body  in- 
stead of  manifesting  in  the  body;  and  you  are  still 
following  the  confused  desires  of  the  personal  man, 
when  the  only  true  desire  can  arise  in  the  real  man. 
To  go  up  into  more  life,  into  the  limitless  life  of 
eternal  being,  is  the  remedy. 

Whenever  you  find  yourself  in  any  adverse  condi- 
tion, remember  you  will  not  come  out  of  it  until  you 
grow  out  of  it.  You  may  antagonize  adversity  and 
cause  it  to  disappear  temporarily,  but  it  will  soon 
return  in  some  other  form.  Nothing,  therefore,  is 
ever  gained  by  such  a  method.  Train  yourself  to 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  305 

grow  out  of  that  which  is  not  good  by  constantly 
growing  into  the  greater  good;  and  we  invariably 
grow  into  that  which  we  think  of  the  most.  Think 
constantly  of  that  which  you  desire,  and  you  will 
grow  into  it.  But  your  thought  must  be  of  the  heart ; 
it  must  be  deep  and  strong,  and  inspired  by  the  in- 
vincible power  of  soul.  Do  not  give  personal  force 
to  your  thought  but  try  to  feel  that  every  thought 
you  think  has  soul,  and  know  that  every  thought 
that  has  soul  has  the  power  to  do  whatever  it  was 
created  to  do.  And  in  all  your  efforts  to  grow  into 
the  better,  the  greater  and  the  more  beautiful,  con- 
sider the  lilies  of  the  field ;  grow  like  the  flowers  and 
you  will  never  fail.  The  flower  resists  nothing,  an- 
tagonizes nothing,  works  against  nothing;  it  gently 
comes  out  of  its  gross  and  earthly  environment,  and 
grows  on  peacefully,  silently  and  serenely  until  it  be- 
comes an  inspiration  to  all  the  world.  Human  life 
can  do  the  same,  must  do  the  same,  if  we  wish  to 
realize  the  life  beautiful  and  become  conscious  of 
the  richness  and  glory  of  the  spiritual  heights. 


Spiritual  consciousness  never  Bleeps;  grief 
comes  from  the  feeling  of  loss;  spiritual  con- 
sciousness knows  that  there  is  no  loss;  nothing 
ever  can  be  lost;  whatever  was,  is,  and  evermore 
shall  be.  To  spiritual  consciousness  there  are  no 
tears;  not  because  such  consciousness  is  cold  or 
Indifferent,  for  he  who  has  entered  spiritual  con- 
sciousness loves  with  a  higher,  a  truer  and  a  far 
more  tender  love  than  he  ever  £nen>  before.  He 
who  has  entered  spiritual  consciousness  knows 
that  all  is  Well;  and  where  all  is  well  there  can 
be  no  tears.  Spiritual  consciousness  feels  the 
existence,  the  presence  and  the  unity  of  all  things, 
visible  and  invisible.  To  be  consciously  in  the 
spirit  is  to  love  all  souls  with  the  love  of  the 
spirit,  and  he  who  loves  with  the  spirit  is  one  with 
all  souls,  both  in  this  realm  and  in  realms  be- 
yond. He  is  conscious  of  the  great  white  throng 
• — those  who  are  in  the  form  and  those  who  are 
in  a  higher  form.  His  sublime  love  has  given 
him  a  sublime  vision,  and  through  that  vision  he 
can  see  that  nothing  is  lost,  that  all  is  Well,  and 
all  that  is  well  is  eternal. 


CHAPTER  XXVT 

THE  SUPREME   PURPOSE    OF,  LIFE 

The  beliefs  of  the  past  have  told  us  that  we  are 
now  living  in  time,  and  that  later  on  we  shall  enter 
eternity;  but  we  are  rapidly  discarding  this  idea; 
first,  because  it  is  not  true,  and  second,  because  we 
have  discovered  this  idea  to  be  one  of  the  chief 
causes  of  age  and  premature  death.  By  premature 
death  we  mean  the  passing  away  from  this  sphere 
before  we  have  fulfilled  the  purpose  for  which  we 
came,  and  since  we  are  here  for  some  special  pur- 
pose, we  must  permit  nothing  that  will  take  us  away 
before  our  work  is  finished. 

That  we  are  living  here  for  some  great  purpose  we 
must  all  admit;  that  we  have  something  very  im- 
portant to  accomplish  in  this  world  we  are  all  be- 
ginning to  learn;  and  that  we  must  necessarily  re- 
main here  for  a  long  time  to  rightly  promote  the 
divine  plan  is  becoming  more  and  more  evident. 
When  we  think  of  this  great  theme  from  every  view- 
point of  consciousness  we  invariably  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  man  should  remain  here  until  he  reaches 
such  a  high  spiritual  state  that  nothing  in  the  world 

309 


310  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

of  things  can  serve  him  any  more ;  and  we  shall  find 
that  when  we  begin  to  live  for  the  attainment  of 
this  sublime  state,  every  moment  of  existence  will 
be  perfect  bliss.  It  is  truly  sweet  to  live  when  we 
live  to  promote  the  great  divine  plan. 

We  find,  however,  that  but  very  few  live  a  good 
life,  and  that  only  a  limited  number  reach  a  high 
spiritual  state  before  taking  their  departure.  But 
what  might  the  reason  be  I  We  all  realize  that  old 
age  is  unnatural;  and  none  of  us  require  logic  to 
demonstrate  the  great  advantage  of  a  life  where 
eternal  youth  and  eternal  ascension  in  life  are 
blended  into  one.  Therefore  we  wish  to  find  the 
fundamental  cause  of  those  conditions  that  produce 
age,  that  produce  sickness,  and  that  take  us  away 
from  this  sphere  before  our  work  is  done.  And  this 
cause  we  find  in  the  fact  that  man  thinks  he  is  living 
in  time;  when  he  should  know  that  he  is  living  in 
eternity. 

When  man  fully  realizes  that  he  is  living  now  in 
the  great  eternal  now,  and  that  he  is  already  in  eter- 
nity, he  shall  know  age  no  more.  Man  grows  old  be- 
cause he  believes  in  the  passing  of  time.  He  believes 
that  he  is  living  in  a  world  where  time  is  ever  going, 
and  that  he  is  going  with  it — to  the  grave.  He  is 
conscious  of  the  passing  of  years,  and  believes  that 
the  further  he  goes  with  the  years  the  more  years 
will  be  added  to  the  burden  of  his  life.  He  there- 
fore thinks  of  himself  as  so  many  years  old;  but  here 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  311 

he  is  mistaken.  Time  is  not  passing;  time  is;  and 
the  time  that  is,  is  eternity. 

What  we  call  time  is  only  that  period  in  eternity 
that  we  are  conscious  of  now,  and  in  truth  we  cannot 
call  it  a  period  of  any  definite  length.  To  some  it  is 
long,  to  others  it  is  short,  to  some  it  passes  quickly, 
to  others  it  drags,  and  it  is  variously  interpreted  by 
various  minds;  but  the  time  itself  continues  to  be 
the  same— the  eternity  that  we  are  conscious  of  now. 
It  may  be  stated,  however,  that  time  must  be  passing 
because  something  certainly  does  appear  to  come 
and  go.  But  this  is  only  the  changing  attitude  of 
consciousness  as  man  ascends  in  the  scale.  We  look 
at  the  sun;  it  appears  to  move,  but  we  know  that 
the  sun  is  not  moving  from  the  earth 's  point  of  view ; 
it  is  the  earth  that  is  moving.  In  like  manner,  we 
have  looked  upon  time  as  passing,  but  now  we  know 
that  time  is  standing  still;  we  are  moving  upward 
and  onward  forever. 

When  man  becomes  conscious  of  the  fact  that 
time  is  standing  still,  that  he  is  moving,  and  that  the 
further  on  he  moves  the  larger  his  life  becomes,  he 
will  have  attained  the  secret  of  that  life  that  is  ever 
young.  It  may  be  stated,  however,  that  if  man  be- 
lieves he  is  moving,  that  belief  will  cause  him  to 
think  of  advancing  age;  but  the  truth  is  that  when 
man  realizes  that  he  is  ever  moving  onward  he  will 
know  that  he  is  growing  into  life ;  and  he  will  never 
pass  into  age  so  long  as  he  is  growing  into  life. 


312  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

The  many  believe  that  time  is  passing— coming  to 
man  and  going  away  from  man,  and  that  man  him- 
self is  passing,  not  into  life  but  out  of  life ;  in  conse- 
quence, the  life  more  abundant  is  not  realized.  What 
the  race  does  realize  in  growth,  advancement  and 
higher  attainment  is  produced  partly  by  the  natural 
power  of  life  to  ascend  in  the  scale  and  partly  by  the 
efforts  of  great  souls.  The  race  belief,  however,  con- 
cerning time  and  man's  relation  to  time,  is  a  constant 
obstacle,  both  to  emancipation  from  the  imperfec- 
tions of  the  lesser  life,  and  the  ascension  into  greater 
life.  To  secure  emancipation  now,  to  realize  that 
youthful  life  now  that  is  a  necessary  part  of  the 
spiritual  life,  and  to  rise  daily  into  the  greater  spir- 
itual life,  the  usual  conception  of  time  must  be  re- 
versed. But  we  cannot  accomplish  this  by  trying  to 
change  our  relations  to  those  external  devices  that 
measure  the  movements  of  nature;  nor  will  a  denial 
of  nature  avail  in  the  least.  The  change  that  is  re- 
quired must  take  place  in  our  own  consciousness. 

Realize  that  time  is,  that  the  time  that  is  is  eter- 
nity, and  that  eternity  is  still,  always  here,  forever 
giving  forth  her  riches  to  man.  Realize  that  there 
is  no  time  except  the  eternal,  therefore  time  does  not 
pass  because  there  is  neither  time  to  pass  nor  passing 
time.  Realize  this  great  truth  in  the  depths  of  con- 
sciousness, and  years  will  only  add  to  your  power, 
your  youth,  your  life  and  your  spiritual  attainments. 
Then  you  shall  remain  upon  earth  until  your  work 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  313 

is  finished— until  you  have  reached  the  Christ  state. 

When  this  truth  is  realized,  you  will  consciously 
feel  the  stillness  and  the  calm  of  the  eternity  that 
forever  is.  You  will  no  longer  feel  that  you  are 
passing  on  and  on  to  some  undesired  end  where  ad- 
verse forces  will  rob  you  of  the  life  you  are  here  to 
live;  you  will  no  longer  think  of  death  or  those  peri- 
ods of  inability  that  have  formerly  preceded  death; 
these  mean  nothing  to  you;  they  do  not  belong  to 
your  life;  you  are  living  in  eternity;  time  is  not  add- 
ing years  to  your  life;  your  life  is  eternal,  and  that 
which  is  eternal  cannot  be  measured  by  years.  The 
movements  of  nature  in  their  circles  and  spirals  may 
be  measured;  but  that  has  nothing  to  do  with  life  or 
time.  Nature  is  forever  moving  around  the  great 
eternal  now,  and  the  eternal  now  is  living  in  the 
deep  silence  of  the  life  that  forever  is  now.  The  life 
that  you  live— the  real  life,  the  eternal  life,  is  the 
same  life  that  is  now;  and  in  that  life  there  is  no 
time,  no  years,  no  age— only  eternity. 

Ascension  in  life  means  the  appropriation  of  more 
and  more  of  real  life ;  it  does  not  mean  the  changing 
of  life  from  one  state  to  another,  nor  the  passing 
through  periods  of  time.  Growth  does  not  come 
from  the  passing  of  time;  growth  comes  from  ap- 
propriation; besides,  there  is  no  passing  of  time. 
When  we  think  of  growth  we  usually  think  of  so 
much  gain  in  so  much  time,  but  that  is  a  mistake. 
The  soul  that  truly  lives,  appropriates  all  that  it 


314  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

needs  each  moment;  no  more,  no  less;  it  does  not 
deal  with  time;  it  deals  only  with  that  which  has  real, 
eternal  existence;  it  never  thinks  of  tomorrow  be- 
cause in  eternity  there  is  no  tomorrow;  it  lives  now, 
and  it  knows  that  the  life  that  is  now  will  never  pass 
away. 

When  we  become  conscious  of  eternal  life  we  no 
longer  question  the  immortal  existence  of  the  soul.  To 
feel  eternal  life  is  to  know  that  life  is  eternal,  and 
that  every  soul  that  lives  lives  the  life  eternal  now. 
We  cannot  separate  the  life  of  the  soul  from  the  life 
that  is  eternal,  and  the  moment  that  we  discover  that 
the  two  are  one  we  know  that  we  shall  live  forever. 
We  need  no  external  demonstration  to  prove  to  ns 
that  those  that  have  gone  before  are  still  alive;  we 
now  know  that  no  soul  can  possibly  cease  to  exist. 
and  we  spiritually  discern  the  immortal  existence  of 
all  the  souls  in  the  world.  We  seek  no  visible  sign  be- 
cause we  are  in  the  presence  of  that  something  from 
which  every  sign  must  proceed.  We  no  longer  ponder 
over  the  life  after  death;  we  know  there  is  no  death. 
That  which  is  eternal  life  can  never  die,  and  to  be- 
come conscious  of  the  soul  is  to  discover  that  the  soul 
is  eternal  life.  The  soul  is  coexistent  with  God;  what 
God  is  the  soul  is;  the  soul  is  the  real  man,  the  man 
that  is  forever  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God. 

When  we  ask  "If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again?" 
we  prove  to  those  who  understand  that  we  are  still 
living  in  the  person,  and  that  we  still  think  of  our- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  315 

selves  as  being  persons.  The  person  passes  away, 
and  therefore  so  long  as  we  think  that  we  are  persons 
we  think  that  we  shall  also  pass  away;  but  we  are 
not  certain  whether  we  shall  pass  into  nothingness  or 
into  another  life;  we  do  not  know  because  we  are 
not  awakened  into  that  consciousness  of  eternal  life 
that  does  know.  We  doubt  no  more,  however,  when 
we  discover  the  real  life  of  the  soul,  and  find  that 
we  are  not  persons  but  spiritual  entities,  sons  of  the 
Most  High.  If  you  wish  to  convince  yourself  that 
you  are  to  live  after  you  have  removed  the  physical 
body,  do  not  seek  after  mysterious  signs  in  the  with- 
out ;  seek  rather  the  real  life  in  the  within.  The  more 
deeply  you  enter  into  real  life  the  more  fully  you 
realize  that  there  is  no  end  to  your  own  life.  The 
outer  consciousness  informs  you  that  you  have  life; 
the  inner  consciousness  informs  you  that  there  is 
no  end  to  your  life,  and  the  one  is  as  convincing  to 
the  mind  as  the  other. 

You  know  that  you  are  living  because  you  are 
conscious  of  life.  Enter  more  deeply  into  the 
reality  of  your  being  and  you  become  conscious 
of  eternal  life.  Then  you  will  not  only  know 
that  you  are  living,  but  you  will  know  that 
there  can  be  no  end  to  your  living.  To  be  conscious 
of  life  is  to  know  that  you  are  living  now;  to  be  con- 
scious of  eternal  life  is  to  know  that  you  are  living 
in  eternity  now,  and  that  to  live  in  eternity  is  to  be 
eternal.  To  develop  the  consciousness  of  eternal  life 


316  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

it  is  only  necessary  to  grow  daily  in  the  spiritual 
life.  Seek  to  understand  the  reality  of  your  own 
divine  being,  and  you  will  not  only  develop  that 
spiritual  discernment  that  knows  the  immortal  exist- 
ence of  your  own  soul,  but  you  will  also  develop 
that  discernment  that  knows  the  present  continued 
existence  of  all  souls.  You  will  know  that  you  are 
destined  to  live  eternally,  and  you  will  know  that  all 
souls,  from  ages  past,  are  now  living  eternally.  You 
know  this,  not  through  signs  from  without,  or  evi- 
dences that  may  appeal  to  physical  senses  or  psychi- 
cal senses,  but  through  that  spiritual  understanding 
that  is  in  conscious  touch  with  every  soul  in  God's 
unbounded  cosmos.  Neither  the  physical  senses  nor 
the  psychical  senses  can  know  the  soul;  it  is  there- 
fore impossible  to  demonstrate  to  any  of  those  senses 
that  the  soul  is  immortal.  Spiritual  consciousness 
alone  can  know  this  great  truth  and  to  be  spiritually 
conscious  is  to  live  in  that  sacred,  interior  realm 
where  we  know  that  man  is  perfect  and  divine,  as 
God  is  perfect  and  divine.  We  know  this  when  we 
are  in  the  spirit,  for  nothing  can  be  hidden  in  the 
light  of  the  spirit.  In  that  light  we  see  all  things 
as  they  are;  therefore  we  know,  and  we  speak  with 
authority,  not  from  ourselves  but  from  God.  In  the 
spirit  we  are  with  God,  and  His  thought  becomes  our 
thought,  His  word  our  word,  His  life  our  life. 


When  you  see  some  one  leaving  the  body  you 
do  not  weep  if  you  are  spiritually  awakened; 
you  know  that  the  leave-taking  is  but  seeming; 
there  is  neither  going  nor  coming  in  the  spirit; 
there  is  no  separation  in  spirit;  in  the  spirit  all 
are  one  in  His  love.  Though  the  soul  that  seems 
to  depart  becomes  invisible  to  physical  sight, 
still  that  soul  is  ever  visible  to  spiritual  sight.  To 
be  consciously  in  the  spirit  is  to  see  all  those  who 
live  in  the  spirit  whatever  the  form  may  be.  In 
the  consciousness  of  the  spirit  the  manifestation 
of  the  form  is  secondary;  whether  the  form  be 
physical  or  ethereal  is  not  of  first  importance; 
but  to  know  the  spirit,  to  be  conscious  of  the 
spirit,  and  to  know  that  all  souls  are  eternally  in 
the  spirit — that  is  the  first  importance.  That 
soul  that  seems  to  have  gone,  has  not  gone;  you 
who  are  in  the  spirit,  can  feel  her  life,  her  presence 
and  her  love  just  the  same;  and  you  are  wide 
awake  to  the  fact  that  she  still  lives.  Her  ex- 
istence is  just  as  real  to  you  as  it  was  before, 
because  in  the  spirit  all  is  real.  To  you,  who 
are  in  the  spirit,  all  souls  are  real  whether  they 
manifest  in  this  world  or  in  some  other  world. 
They  are  all  in  Cod's  sublime  world,  and  when 
you  are  spiritually  conscious  your  eyes  are  opened 
to  the  splendor  and  glory  of  that  world. 


CHAPTEEXXVn 

THE  PSALM   OF  REJOICING 

The  Lord  is  my  shepherd;  I  shall  not  want. 

When  we  are  led  by  the  spirit  of  the  Most  High, 
the  condition  of  want  is  removed  completely;  which 
means  that  we  shall  want  for  nothing.  There  is 
nothing  that  we  may  need  or  desire  for  the  living 
of  a  complete  life  that  we  shall  not  receive  when  the 
Lord  is  our  shepherd.  We  shall  have  abundance  in 
every  domain  of  existence,  and  no  matter  how  great 
our  demands  may  be  the  adequate  supply  will  always 
be  at  hand;  provided,  however,  that  our  demands 
are  in  accord  with  the  ascending  life— the  life  that 
leads  to  the  heights. 

We  are  not  required  to  place  limitations  upon  our 
demands  or  desires;  the  Supreme  is  not  limited  in 
His  power  to  supply;  it  is  our  privilege  to  desire 
everything  that  we  may  need  to  make  life  as  large, 
as  perfect,  and  as  beautiful  as  we  possibly  can;  in 
brief,  the  more  we  desire  the  greater  becomes  the  life 
we  live,  and  the  greatest  life  is  the  most  acceptable 
life  to  God  as  well  as  to  man.  We  do  not  please  God 
by  humbling  ourselves  into  insignificance,  the  InfiniU 

319 


320  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

does  not  ask  us  to  be  small  because  He  is  great;  He 
does  not  demand  that  we  be  satisfied  with  little  be- 
cause He  has  everything.  This  is  not  the  nature  of 
God  because  God  is  love,  and  love  eternally  declares, 
"Be  as  I  am;  come  and  enjoy  everything  that  I  have 
to  enjoy;  what  is  mine  is  thine;  what  is  for  me  is  for 
thee,  and  nothing  shall  be  withheld  whatever." 

To  want  for  nothing  means  that  we  shall  be  in  pos- 
session of  everything— everything  that  is  necessary 
to  a  life  that  is  all  that  real  life  is  intended  to  be. 
This  means  that  we  shall  have  all  the  peace  that  the 
soul  may  require,  even  the  peace  that  passeth  under- 
standing; we  shall  have  all  the  wisdom  and  all  the 
power  that  we  may  need  to  attain  in  life  whatever 
our  highest  aspirations  may  have  in  view;  we  shall 
have  sufficient  joy  to  satisfy  perfectly  every  element 
in  the  whole  of  being;  we  shall  have  happiness  with- 
out measure,  harmony  as  beautiful  as  the  symphonies 
of  heaven,  and  health  in  perfection  forever.  Not  a  mo- 
ment shall  your  body  know  any  ailment  whatever, 
and  not  a  moment  shall  your  mind  know  sorrow  or 
pain.  This  is  the  truth.  It  could  not  be  otherwise 
when  the  Lord  is  your  shepherd.  God  is  love,  and 
love  leads  away  from  ills  and  pains  into  the  infinite 
delights  of  sublime  existence. 

God  is  equal  to  all  your  needs ;  He  can  give  health 
and  strength  to  the  body;  He  can  give  peace  and 
power  to  the  mind;  He  can  give  wisdom  and  joy  to 
the  soul;  He  can  surround  your  personal  life  with 


321 


all  that  is  rich  and  beautiful  in  physical  existence; 
He  can  surround  your  spiritual  life  with  all  that  is 
gorgeous  and  sublime  in  cosmic  existence;  and  when 
you  select  Him  as  your  shepherd  He  will.  Take  God 
at  His  word.  Do  not  believe  in  His  goodness  and 
power  and  then  act  as  if  your  belief  was  not  true.  Be- 
lieve that  He  will  actually  supply  your  every  need, 
then  act  accordingly.  Have  faith  in  abundance  and 
expect  your  faith  to  come  true.  You  shall  not  be  kept 
waiting,  nor  shall  you  long  remain  empty-handed 
Your  prayers  shall  be  answered,  your  needs  shall  be 
supplied,  and  all  that  your  life  may  require  shall 
now  become  your  own. 

Do  not  depend  upon  yourself  alone.  The  belief  that 
man  must  depend  wholly  upon  himself  to  rise  to  the 
heights  of  being  is  not  true.  Man  alone  can  do  noth- 
ing of  real  worth ;  it  is  only  when  we  work  with  God 
and  God  works  with  us  that  we  can  do  what  the 
ideal  within  us  desires  to  do.  The  greatest  things  in 
the  world  are  done  by  those  who  constantly  depend 
upon  God,  who  walk  with  God  and  live  with  God, 
and  then  make  the  fullest,  the  largest  and  the  best 
use  of  those  powers  they  are  eternally  receiving  from 
God.  Wherever  you  may  go,  or  whatever  you  may 
wish  to  do,  take  the  Lord  for  your  shepherd  and  you 
shall  positively  gain  what  you  have  in  view.  Failure 
becomes  impossible  because  God  is  equal  to  any 
condition  that  may  arise,  and  so  long  as  you  are  with 
God,  God  is  with  you.  Though  you  may  meet  ad- 


322  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

versity,  you  need  not  be  disturbed;  something  will 
happen;  God  will  cause  something  to  happen  so  that 
things  will  take  a  turn;  you  shall  be  led  into  pastures 
green  where  all  your  desires  shall  be  granted.  Then 
you  shall  want  for  nothing.  Remember,  you  shall 
want  for  nothing.  This  is  the  great  truth  to  under- 
stand fully  and  demonstrate  fully  in  the  actual  living 
of  life. 

The  secret  is  absolute  trust  and  faith  in  the  good- 
ness and  the  power  of  the  Supreme.  Believe  that 
God  is  your  shepherd;  believe  that  you  can  want 
for  nothing  so  long  as  He  is  with  you;  then  act  ac- 
cordingly. Live  as  if  you  actually  believed  that  your 
belief  was  true,  and  you  shall  find  it  to  be  true.  It  is 
only  when  we  live  the  truth  that  the  truth  proves 
itself  to  be  the  truth.  Do  not  wait  for  external  evi- 
dence before  you  proceed  to  act  upon  your  faith. 
Beal  faith  has  any  amount  of  internal  evidence,  and 
any  principle  that  proves  itself  to  be  true  in  the 
within  can  be  demonstrated  to  be  true  in  the  without. 
What  the  vision  of  the  soul  may  declare,  the  powers 
of  the  personal  man  can  supply;  and  daily  life  can  be 
made  as  true,  as  beautiful  and  as  sublime  as  the  life 
that  is  lived  on  the  heights. 

He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures;  he 
leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters. 

To  be  led  by  the  spirit  of  the  Most  High  is  to  pass 
through  perpetual  change— to  pass  from  the  good 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  KOSES  323 

to  the  better,  from  the  better  to  the  best,  and  then 
higher  and  higher  into  those  richer  realms  that  in- 
finite love  has  in  store.  In  such  a  life  there  is  always 
something  new  to  live  for,  always  something 
higher,  something  better  to  enjoy.  Such  a 
life  can  never  be  wearisome  nor  monotonous,  for  it 
is  nothing  less  than  a  continuous  feast— the  richest 
imaginable  feast,  and  all  the  elements  of  that  feast 
are  changed  as  often  as  we  desire.  It  is  in  this  feast 
that  we  partake  of  ' l  the  meat  that  ye  know  not  of, ' ' 
and  it  is  in  this  feast  that  the  soul  is  nourished  unto 
eternal  life.  Then  comes  the  great  spiritual  strength 
that  gives  us  the  power  to  transcend  the  seeming 
and  enter  into  the  realms  of  existing  sublime.  And 
how  beautiful  to  enter  the  pastures  green  of  those 
lofty  worlds,  there  to  lie  down  and  rest  in  the  peace 
that  passeth  understanding,  in  the  deep  eternal  calm 
that  touches  the  soul  with  the  symphonies  of  heaven. 
And  how  beautiful  to  be  led  beside  the  still  waters, 
the  living  waters  of  celestial  kingdoms  on  high, 
peacefully  flowing  onward  and  onward  into  that 
fairer  kingdom,  wherein  we  shall  enter  some  golden 
morn,  there  to  behold  what  eternity  has  in  store  for 
man. 

When  we  follow  the  spirit,  countless  worlds  are 
constantly  opening  before  us,  and  in  those  worlds 
there  are  pastures  green  everywhere.  In  these  we 
shall  find  nourishment  for  the  soul ;  in  these  we  shall 
find  rest  for  the  spirit.  Then  shall  the  soul  come 


324 


forth  with  new  strength;  then  shall  the  spirit  arise 
with  power,  and  the  spiritual  life  within  us  shall  be- 
gin its  great  eternal  reign.  And  when  the  spirit  be- 
gins its  reign,  the  outer  world  takes  upon  itself  the 
peace,  the  wholeness,  the  harmony  and  the  perfec- 
tion of  the  beautiful  life  within.  Adversity  disap- 
pears; wrongs  give  place  to  the  purity  of  the  life 
divine;  imperfections  are  lost  in  the  dimness  of  the 
past,  and  the  richness  that  we  find  in  the  pastures 
green  of  realms  sublime,  is  reproduced  in  personal 
existence.  Then  we  shall  realize  in  the  without  what 
the  soul  has  discerned  in  the  within;  then  the  joys 
of  the  spirit  shall  be  made  known  to  the  person,  and 
life  in  this  world  shall  become  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  that  other  life  that  our  most  lofty  moments 
have  so  beautifully  revealed. 

When  the  Infinite  leads  you  and  guides  you,  you 
will  constantly  be  led  into  the  larger,  the  greater  and 
the  better.  Pastures  green  will  always  be  ready  for 
you  the  very  moment  you  are  ready  for  a  larger, 
richer  life.  You  will  never  have  to  remain  in  the 
lesser  for  a  single  moment  after  you  are  ready  for  the 
greater;  the  Most  High  will  open  the  way  for  you, 
and  the  increase  you  desire  in  your  life  shall  speedily 
become  your  own.  All  the  world  rests  upon  the  Great 
law  of  perpetual  increase;  and  the  pathway  of  all 
life  is  upward  and  onward  forever;  therefore  to  fol- 
low the  law  of  life  is  to  ever  ascend  into  a  greater 
and  a  greater  measure  of  the  highest  good  that  life 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  325 

can  give.  The  great  law  of  life  is  the  law  of  infinite 
life  because  God  is  the  source  of  all  law  and  all  life ; 
and  since  God  lives  as  His  own  laws  direct,  we  under- 
stand that  when  we  follow  the  laws  of  life  we  shall 
live  as  He  lives.  And  we  always  follow  His  laws 
when  we  are  led  by  Him.  We  therefore  conclude  that 
all  life  that  is  led  by  the  spirit  of  infinite  life  will 
ever  live  in  perpetual  increase.  In  such  a  life  the 
greatest  good  in  life  will  be  enjoyed  now,  and  that 
good  will  become  higher  and  greater  without  any 
end. 

The  great  truth  to  remember  is  that  God  always 
leads  into  the  greater,  never  to  the  lesser.  When 
the  Lord  is  your  shepherd  you  will  eternally 
be  led  into  pastures  green,  and  every  new  pasture 
will  be  richer  than  the  one  you  knew  before.  Walk 
with  God;  live  in  the  presence  and  the  power  of  His 
spirit  and  follow  the  light  of  the  Supreme  in  all 
things;  then  you  shall  be  led  eternally  into  greater 
and  greater  things.  The  boundless  will  ever  be  at 
your  door  and  your  faith  will  open  that  door.  This 
is  a  great  truth;  it  is  a  truth  that  we  must  always 
remember  and  always  apply  because  we  can  receive 
from  infinite  supply  only  what  we  believe  that  we 
will  receive.  Believe  with  heart  and  soul  that  you 
will  receive  everything  that  is  necessary  to  the  full- 
ness and  completeness  of  ideal  living,  and  you  will 
receive  all  these  things  if  you  have  taken  the  Lord 
for  your  shepherd.  He  will  lead  you  into  pastures 


326  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

green,  and  your  faith  will  open  your  life  to  all  the 
richness  that  those  newer  worlds  may  contain. 

The  Infinite  never  leads  into  trouble,  sickness,  ad- 
versity or  pain.  When  we  enter  such  conditions  we 
are  not  led  by  the  spirit  of  the  Most  High;  we  are 
simply  going  away  from  His  spirit,  and  thus  create 
the  very  ills  from  which  we  soon  must  suffer.  When 
we  go  away  from  God  we  create  evil ;  this  is  the  only 
way  that  evil  can  be  created,  and  the  evil  we  thus 
create  is  the  only  evil  that  can  ever  come  to  us. 
Therefore  the  one  great  remedy  that  can  heal  all 
the  ills  of  human  life  is  found  in  that  wonderful 
statement,  "Return  Ye  Unto  God." 

When  people  who  claim  to  be  spiritual,  are  led 
into  sickness  and  trouble,  they  are  either  mistaking 
emotionalism  for  spirituality,  or  their  spirituality  is 
as  yet  but  a  negative  quality.  When  we  begin  to 
walk  with  God  we  begin  to  gain  real  spirituality,  but 
such  a  spirituality  is  not  simply  a  beautiful  vision  of 
the  perfect  and  the  divine;  nor  is  it  simply  an  es- 
.thetic  feeling  or  a  tender  sentiment;  it  is  the  great 
spiritual  life  within  coming  forth  with  living  power. 
Spirituality  is  sweet  and  tender  and  beautiful,  but  it 
is  also  immensely  strong.  Therefore  when  we  are  in 
possession  of  real  spirituality  the  ills  of  life  must 
vanish  just  as  darkness  disappears  with  the  coming 
of  the  light.  No  ill  can  exist  in  the  living  power  of 
the  spirit,  and  we  are  always  filled  through  and 
through  with  that  power  when  we  are  in  the  spirit, 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  327 

when  we  are  living  in  that  life  that  God  lives.  And 
when  the  Lord  is  our  shepherd  He  invariably  leads 
us  into  His  life,  His  world,  His  kingdom,  and  into 
His  light,  wherein  we  shall  know  the  truth— the  truth 
that  gives  freedom  to  all  that  is  in  the  being  of  man. 

When  you  are  led  "beside  the  still  waters"  every- 
thing in  your  life  will  move  smoothly,  and  all  your 
efforts,  experiences  and  modes  of  existence  will  work 
together  harmoniously  for  greater  and  greater  good. 
At  first,  or  for  some  time,  there  may  be  conditions 
in  your  life  that  are  not  as  they  should  be,  but  these 
will  soon  pass  away,  and  while  they  do  remain  you 
will  be  so  strong,  if  you  live  in  God,  that  no  adversity 
can  disturb  you  in  the  least.  When  you  are  led  by 
the  spirit  of  the  Most  High,  adversity  will  become 
less  and  less,  while  you  will  gain  in  strength,  more 
and  more,  so  that  whatever  adversity  you  may  for 
awhile  meet  will  be  as  nothing  in  your  life.  You  thus 
become  able  to  master  whatever  may  appear  in  the 
present,  and  you  are,  at  the  same  time,  rising  out  of 
every  condition  that  is  in  any  manner  undesirable 
or  adverse.  You  are  led  beside  the  still  waters  into 
the  peace,  the  contentment  and  the  joy  of  complete 
emancipation. 

The  life  that  is  led  by  the  spirit  is  the  most  peace- 
ful, the  most  comfortable  and  the  most  sweetly  se- 
rene of  all  life ;  it  is  ever  beside  the  still  waters,  and 
is  ever  in  touch  with  the  great  eternal  calm.  But 
it  is  also  the  most  interesting  as  well  as  the  most 


328  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

beautiful,  for  it  is  ever  moving  onward  and  onward. 
And  here  we  find  a  great  secret.  The  great  life  is 
not  the  life  that  imitates  the  storm-tossed  sea,  but 
the  life  that  is  deep  and  strong  and  yet  always  peace- 
ful and  still.  Such  a  life  is  great  in  power,  limitless 
in  capacity  and  wonderful  in  efficiency,  but  in  all 
things  and  at  all  times,  is  forever  sweetly  serene. 
Such  a  life  sounds  the  very  depth  of  real  being  and 
calmly  brings  to  the  surface  the  rich  treasures  of 
those  inexhaustible  realms  within.  And  thus  the 
entire  domain  of  human  existence  is  made  larger, 
richer  and  more  beautiful  without  any  end.  We  shall 
ever  find  pastures  green  both  in  the  within  and  in 
the  without,  and  beside  the  still  waters  we  shall  be 
led  into  that  peaceful  life  that  we  have  sometimes 
felt  when  the  soul  was  attuned  to  God. 

He  restoreth  my  soul;  he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of 
righteousness  for  his  name's  sake. 

When  we  enter  into  the  life  of  the  Infinite,  all  that 
is  high,  all  that  is  perfect  and  all  that  is  beautiful 
in  the  soul  will  be  restored  to  consciousness.  The 
glory,  the  divinity  and  the  sublime  majesty  of  the 
soul  will  be  revealed;  the  veil  of  mystery  will  be 
removed  and  we  may  behold  the  gorgeous  splendor 
of  the  spiritual  life  as  it  truly  is.  The  soul  is  no 
longer  lost  from  view;  we  are  no  longer  ignorant  of 
the  wonderful  life  within  us ;  the  heavens  are  opened, 
so  to  speak,  and  we  may  see  most  clearly  and  most 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  329 

perfectly  that  eternal  something  within  us  that  is 
created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God.  Our  divine 
nature  is  restored  to  us;  we  learn  what  we  are;  we 
discover  our  great  inheritance;  we  find  that  we  are 
not  mere  human  creatures,  but  sons  of  the  Most 
High,  destined  to  reign  with  Him  on  the  heights  of 
glory,  and  to  live  in  His  sublime  kingdom  during 
countless  ages  yet  to  be. 

When  the  soul  is  restored,  our  inner  spiritual  na- 
ture becomes  the  ruling  power  in  life;  mind  and  body 
becomes  servants  to  the  soul,  and  we  no  longer  live 
for  circumstances,  conditions  and  things;  we  begin 
to  live  for  life  itself,  and  we  thus  gain,  in  an  ever 
increasing  measure,  all  the  richness,  all  the  beauty 
and  all  the  power  that  life  can  give.  When  we  live 
for  life  we  can  gain  everything  of  worth  that  is  in 
life,  and  we  invariably  live  for  life  when  the  soul  is 
the  ruling  power  in  life.  In  the  life  of  the  soul  all 
is  perfect  and  all  is  well  because  the  soul  lives  the 
same  life  that  God  lives.  Therefore  when  the  soul 
becomes  the  ruling  power  in  personal  life,  we  will 
live  as  God  lives  in  our  entire  domain  of  life,  and 
throughout  that  domain  all  will  always  be  well. 
When  the  soul  is  the  master  in  human  life,  all  will 
be  well  in  human  life,  and  the  soul  is  always  restored 
to  its  high  place  in  life  when  we  elect  to  be  led  by 
the  spirit  of  God. 

The  soul  is  perfect,  being  created  in  the  image  of 
God;  therefore,  the  elimination  of  the  imperfect  in 


330  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

life  must  begin  when  the  soul  becomes  the  ruling 
power.  When  the  soul  rules  in  mind  and  body  it  will 
live  in  every  part  of  mind  and  body;  and  where  the 
soul  lives  there  can  be  neither  sickness  nor  pain, 
neither  weakness  nor  want.  Wlien  the  soul  is  re- 
stored to  its  high  place  of  majesty  and  power  in  life, 
all  the  ills  of  life  must  inevitably  disappear.  When 
the  light  returns,  the  darkness  is  no  more.  When 
the  wholeness  of  the  spirit  becomes  a  living  power 
in  mind  and  body,  the  life  of  the  person  must  neces- 
sarily become  as  clean,  as  strong  and  as  wholesome 
as  the  life  of  the  soul.  And  such  a  state  of  being 
is  invariably  secured  when  the  soul  is  selected  to 
reign  in  the  wonderful  kingdom  of  man.  The  ills  of 
life  come  only  when  we  follow  those  desires  of  the 
person  that  are  not  inspired  from  within;  but  when 
the  soul  is  restored,  every  desire  of  the  person  will 
be  true  to  the  life  of  the  spirit.  A\7e  shall  then  no 
longer  follow  darkness  into  wrong  and  distress,  but 
we  shall  follow  divine  light  into  peace,  wholeness, 
freedom  and  joy.  We  naturally  follow  our  desires 
in  everything  that  we  may  think  or  do;  therefore 
when  all  our  desires  are  born  from  above,  we  shall 
naturally  keep  the  eye  single  upon  the  light  from 
above,  and  in  consequence,  will  ever  be  led  by  the 
wisdom  of  God. 

When  the  soul  is  restored  to  complete  mastership 
in  the  human  domain,  everything  changes  for  the 
better;  a  new  life  begins  and  all  the  elements  of  this 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  331 

new  life  contain  possibilities  for  greater  things  than 
we  ever  knew  before.  We  actually  enter  a  new  world, 
and  the  former  things  are  passing  away.  What  was 
against  us  either  disappears  or  changes  so  com- 
pletely that  all  its  power  is  given  to  the  promotion 
of  what  we  have  in  view;  and  those  things  that  al- 
ways were  for  us  become  stronger  and  stronger  until 
we  feel  that  limitless  power  is  on  our  side.  When 
the  soul  rules  the  destiny  of  human  life  all  the  forces 
of  life  will  build  for  a  greater  and  a  greater  destiny ; 
all  things  will  move  towards  the  heights;  want  will 
give  place  to  perpetual  increase;  sickness  will  give 
place  to  wholeness  and  strength,  and  adversity  will 
give  place  to  harmony  and  joy.  Restore  the  soul  to 
mastery  in  your  life  and  your  entire  being  will  be  re- 
stored to  its  birthright  divine ;  all  that  is  worthy  and 
beautiful  in  sublime  existence  will  begin  to  accumu- 
late in  your  world,  and  life  to  you  will  be  rich  indeed. 
Follow  the  spirit  and  you  will  always  go  right.  He 
will  lead  you  in  the  paths  of  righteousness,  and  what- 
ever you  think  or  do  will  always  be  for  the  best.  In 
brief,  nothing  but  the  best  can  happen  to  you  because 
the  Lord  is  your  shepherd  and  He  will  surely  care 
for  His  own.  The  spirit  never  leads  into  anything 
but  that  which  is  right,  that  which  is  good,  that 
which  is  best.  When  you  do  not  follow  the  spirit, 
you  are  either  going  wrong  or  you  are  drifting  into 
channels  that  will  finally  take  you  into  the  wrong. 
You  may  not  be  consciously  following  the  spirit  now, 


332  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

and  yet  you  may  be  seemingly  going  right  now,  but 
this  does  not  mean  that  you  are  on  the  true  path. 
Those  who  are  not  following  the  spirit  now  are  go- 
ing wrong,  and  to  them  adversity  will  come  sooner 
or  later.  Present  conditions,  however  favorable,  do 
not  prove  that  you  are  on  the  path  that  leads  to  free- 
dom and  the  greater  life.  You  are  on  that  path  only 
when  you  know  that  you  are  led  by  His  spirit  in  all 
things  and  at  all  times.  We  cannot  judge  according 
to  appearances;  the  truth  comes  only  from  the  su- 
preme light  within ;  and  when  we  know  the  truth  and 
live  accordingly,  we  know  that  all  will  be  right — in 
the  within  and  in  the  without— all  will  be  right. 

We  all  follow  the  inner  light  to  some  degree;  the 
soul  is  awakened  in  us  all  and  is  prompting  us  all; 
but  in  many  instances  we  are  led  by  those  personal 
desires  that  are  not  in  harmony  with  real  life,  and 
we  are  influenced  by  external  conditions  and  things; 
thus  we  go  wrong,  and  here  is  the  cause  of  our 
troubles  and  pains.  Whenever  we  go  right,  we  go 
right  because  we  have  followed  the  higher  prompt- 
ings from  within ;  and  whenever  we  go  wrong,  we  go 
wrong  because  we  have  followed  those  external  con- 
ditions that  are  not  in  harmony  with  the  real  life 
within.  But  do  we  know  when  we  are  prompted  by 
the  soul  ?  Do  we  know  when  we  are  led  by  the  spirit  ? 
Bo  we  know  when  we  are  guided  by  the  Infinite  and 
by  Infinite  Wisdom  alone?  At  first  we  may  not 
know;  we  may  follow  the  spirit  at  times  without 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  333 

knowing  that  it  is  the  spirit,  and  at  times  we  may 
think  we  are  led  by  the  spirit  and  yet  be  mistaken. 
But  every  person  who  fully  and  absolutely  decides 
to  follow  the  spirit  in  all  things,  henceforth  and  for- 
ever, will  not  long  remain  unconscious  to  the  radiant 
presence  of  the  Most  High.  If  you  will  take  this 
great  step  your  spirit  will  soon  be  attuned  to  the 
tender  music  of  the  still  small  voice,  and  your  mind 
will  be  illumined  more  and  more  with  the  glory  of 
His  sight.  Then  you  will  know,  and  never  be  mis- 
taken, whenever  He  speaks  to  you ;  then  you  will  see 
His  light  at  all  times  and  you  will  always  know  that 
it  is  the  light  divine.  You  will  readily  discern  the 
meaning  of  His  will  in  all  things,  and  you  will  find 
that  to  follow  His  will  is  to  go  where  glory  is  waiting. 
Not  to  some  other  world,  but  to  His  world,  here  and 
now.  " There  is  another  and  a  better  world"  here 
and  now  wherein  we  all  may  dwell  in  the  never-end- 
ing today;  and  the  light  of  His  spirit  leads  directly 
into  the  freedom  and  joy  of  that  beautiful  world. 

Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil:  For  thou  art  with  me; 
thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me. 

When  God  is  with  us  nothing  but  that  which  is 
good  can  happen.  It  matters  not  what  we  may  meet 
or  what  we  may  be  required  to  pass  through,  good 
will  be  the  final  outcome.  We  need  fear  no  condition 
that  can  possibly  arise;  Supreme  Power  is  with  us, 


334  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

and  we  may  overcome  and  surmount  anything.  We 
shall  come  out  of  every  experience  uninjured  and  un- 
harmed ;  nothing  can  hurt  us  because  there  can  be  no 
hurt  in  the  presence  of  infinite  goodness,  infinite 
power,  infinite  love.  Wherever  we  are  called  we  may 
safely  go;  whatever  we  are  expected  to  do  we  may 
proceed.  So  long  as  we  feel  and  know  that  God  is 
with  us,  all  will  be  well.  We  shall  be  led,  guided, 
directed  and  protected;  we  may,  without  doubt  or 
fear,  proceed  to  do  our  part,  and  leave  results  to 
higher  power;  the  very  best  will  come  to  pass.  Even 
though  things  happen  for  a  short  time  that  seem 
adverse,  the  outcome  of  everything  will  be  good— 
very  good.  The  light  of  divine  wisdom  is  guiding 
our  life,  our  thought,  our  actions,  our  destiny,  and 
therefore  all  things  will  work  together  for  the  very 
highest  good  that  we  can  possibly  realize  in  every 
state  of  continued  existence. 

What  is  here  spoken  of  as  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death  is  the  most  extreme  condition  of  danger  that 
a  person  can  possibly  pass  through;  there  can  be  no 
worse  state  of  threatening  calamity  than  the  "dark 
valley,"  yet  even  there  "I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou 
art  with  me."  It  matters  not  to  what  extreme  we 
may  be  taken  by  circumstances  or  fate,  God  is  equal 
to  all  our  needs.  He  can  protect  us  and  guide  us  any- 
where, and  He  will.  He  can  take  us  out  in  safety, 
and  He  will  surely  do  so  if  we  have  selected  Him  as 
our  shepherd.  And  not  simply  because  His  power 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  335 

is  supreme,  but  also  because  where  God  is  there  can 
be  no  evil.  There  is  no  evil  to  fear  where  God  is  be- 
cause there  can  be  no  evil  where  God  is.  Be  with 
God  and  God  will  be  with  you;  and  when  God  is 
with  you,  you  are  ever  in  the  presence  of  the  good 
and  the  beautiful.  You  are  in  a  world  where  free- 
dom is  complete,  where  truth  is  omnipresent,  and 
where  all  the  elements  of  life  are  in  touch  with 
higher  and  better  things. 

When  we  are  in  the  presence  of  danger  we  almost 
invariably  shrink  into  dread  or  fear  of  some  kind; 
and  when  called  upon  to  do  what  seems  beyond  us, 
or  what  we  personally  dislike,  we  usually  hesitate, 
or  refuse  absolutely;  but  this  is  all  a  mistake.  God 
is  with  us ;  we  need  fear  nothing,  for  He  will  protect 
us  in  everything.  God  is  our  strength,  and  with  His 
strength  we  can  surely  do  anything  that  life  may  re- 
quire of  us.  When  we  feel  weak  we  should  remem- 
ber that  His  rod  and  His  staff  are  at  our  service.  If 
we  must  have  something  to  lean  upon,  His  staff  is 
ever  at  hand,  and  with  such  a  staff  we  shall  not  fall 
down ;  no  matter  how  heavy  the  burden,  or  how  diffi- 
cult the  task,  we  shall  not  fall  down.  His  staff  will 
support  us  whenever  we  may  need  support;  His  rod 
will  hold  us  up  whatever  the  circumstances  may  be, 
and  the  power  of  His  presence  will  give  us  all  the 
strength  we  may  require  to  reach  any  goal  we  may 
have  in  view.  We  should  rather  look  upon  difficulties 
as  opportunities  through  which  we  may  demonstrate 


336  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

to  others  the  great  truth  that  nothing  is  impossible 
when  God  is  with  us.  And  when  called  upon  to  do 
what  seems  beyond  our  capacity,  we  shall  proceed 
nevertheless,  pressing  on  in  the  full  faith  that  we  can. 
God  is  with  us,  and  when  He  is  with  us  we  can  do 
anything  that  our  present  sphere  of  existence  may 
require. 

,If  we  have  a  great  purpose  to  carry  through  we 
need  never  hesitate.  Though  the  opposition  may  be 
great  and  the  obstacles  seemingly  insurmountable, 
we  may  safely  proceed.  We  need  fear  neither  danger 
nor  defeat,  for  Thou  art  with  me.  God  will  see  us 
through.  The  Lord  is  our  shepherd;  we  shall  want 
for  nothing;  indeed,  we  shall  receive  everything  we 
may  need  to  accomplish  what  we  have  undertaken. 
When  the  task  seems  hard  and  the  flesh  seems  weak, 
then  we  should  remember,  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff 
they  comfort  me.  And  in  that  comfort  our  strength 
shall  return,  even  more  than  enough  to  carry  through 
the  task  that  lies  before  us.  We  are  equal  to  any 
occasion  when  God  is  with  us,  and  God  will  always 
be  with  us  if  that  is  our  deepest  prayer  of  the  heart. 
Therefore,  we  should  never  complain,  and  never  give 
up  to  weariness  or  defeat.  When  it  seems  as  if  we 
could  do  nothing  more,  God  will  do  the  rest;  and  if 
we  take  heart  again  and  proceed  in  unison  with  Him, 
we  shall  become  stronger  than  we  ever  were  before. 
When  it  seems  as  if  everything  would  be  lost,  we 
should  refuse  to  judge  according  to  the  seeming. 


337 

"The  Lord  is  my  shepherd.'*  The  seeming  loss  will 
not  take  place.  The  tide  will  turn.  God  can  turn 
anything  in  our  favor,  and  if  we  accept  Him  as  our 
shepherd  He  always  will. 

When  God  is  our  strength  how  great  indeed  is  that 
strength.  With  Him  at  our  side  we  have  our  own  life 
in  our  own  hands,  and  may  do  with  it  whatsoever  we 
will.  The  present  is  ours  to  enjoy,  the  future  is 
ours  to  create.  Adverse  indications  mean  nothing; 
threatening  ills  or  failures  mean  nothing;  we  need 
fear  none  of  these  things.  God  is  greater  than  all 
outward  indications,  and  His  greatness  is  with  us, 
on  our  side,  working  for  our  happiness  and  welfare. 
We  should  never  recognize  that  which  seems  to  be 
against  us,  for  when  God  is  with  us  His  strength  is 
our  strength,  His  life  is  our  life,  and  the  wisdom 
that  illumines  His  mind  the  same  wisdom  shall  il- 
lumine our  minds  also.  We  therefore  can  never 
have  any  occasion  to  fear,  to  hesitate  or  to  entertain 
doubts  in  any  form  or  manner.  The  Lord  is  our 
shepherd.  He  will  surely  care  for  His  own,  and 
whatever  is  necessary  to  give  fullness,  perfection 
and  completeness  to  the  great  eternal  now,  that  we 
shall  all  receive. 

God  is  with  us  when  we  choose  to  be  with  God. 
This  is  the  simple  secret.  When  we  select  Him  as 
our  shepherd,  then  we  become  His  own ;  then  He  will 
care  for  us,  guide  us  and  protect  us;  then  He  will 
place  the  gates  ajar  so  we  may  enter  into  pastures 


338  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

green;  then  He  will  lead  us  beside  the  still  waters 
into  the  peace  and  the  joy  of  the  beautiful  life.  It 
will  all  be  as  we  desire.  The  Infinite  is  ever  ready, 
and  it  is  our  privilege  to  accept  His  goodness  today. 
But  to  accept  Him  as  our  shepherd  does  not  mean 
that  we  must  completely  relinquish  our  own  will  and 
our  own  way.  When  we  decide  to  go  God's  way  we 
shall  find  that  He  is  helping  us  to  gain  our  way ;  and 
when  we  decide  to  follow  His  will  we  shall  find  that 
He  is  giving  us  all  the  power  required  to  carry  out 
our  will.  Thus  we  shall  find  that  the  goodness  of 
God  is  far  greater  than  we  thought,  and  that  His 
love  is  as  boundless  as  the  infinite  sea. 

Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence  of 
mine  enemies:  Thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil; 
my  cup  runneth  over. 

When  God  is  with  us  we  shall  continue  to  enjoy 
the  best  that  life  can  give  regardless  of  what  sur- 
rounding conditions  may  be.  Though  things  may 
seemingly  be  against  us,  and  though  we  may  be  in 
the  presence  of  enmity  and  adversity,  nevertheless, 
those  things  shall  neither  touch  us  nor  disturb  us. 
In  the  midst  of  such  circumstances,  or  any  kind  of 
circumstances,  God  will  prepare  a  table  of  every- 
thing that  is  rich  and  desirable  in  life.  Whatever 
may  happen  in  the  world  in  which  we  live,  God  will 
protect  us  from  loss.  His  table  will  always  be  richly 
laden,  and  it  will  be  our  privilege  to  partake  accord- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  339 

ing  to  our  largest  and  most  heart-felt  need.  When  the 
Lord  is  our  shepherd  we  need  fear  neither  persons  nor 
things  that  may  seem  to  be  against  us.  When  God 
is  with  us,  nothing  can  be  against  us.  We  have  a 
place  at  His  table,  and  those  who  are  guests  at  His 
table  shall  want  for  nothing.  He  will  provide  for 
His  guests  and  provide  richly;  therefore  if  we  ac- 
cept Him  as  our  everlasting  host  we  need  never  be 
disturbed  about  any  condition,  circumstance  or 
event.  The  best  will  happen,  and  all  will  always  be 
well. 

When  things  go  wrong  with  those  who  are  living 
only  for  the  world,  things  will  go  right  with  us. 
Misfortune  can  not  overtake  us.  In  His  presence 
the  power  of  evil  is  powerless,  and  we  are  ever  in 
His  presence  so  long  as  we  elect  that  we  so  shall  be. 
When  we  take  God  with  us,  and  leave  all  our  plans 
and  desires  with  God  before  we  decide,  there  will 
not  even  be  indications  of  misfortune  or  adversity 
in  our  world.  He  will  continue  to  prepare  His  table 
before  us,  and  we  shall  continue  to  enjoy,  both  the 
good  things  of  this  world,  and  "the  meat  that  ye 
know  not  of."  We  shall  continue  in  prosperity  even 
though  all  who  live  in  the  material  world  go  down 
into  adversity.  The  Lord  is  our  shepherd,  and  we 
shall  not  want.  However,  if  we  should  meet  what 
would  seem  to  be  the  indications  of  a  threatening  mis- 
fortune, we  need  not  be  disturbed.  There  may  be 
temporary  losses,  and  adverse  conditions  may  come 


340  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

so  near  as  to  almost  enter  into  our  very  lives,  never- 
theless we  need  not  be  disturbed.  Whatever  may 
threaten  to  happen,  we  need  fear  no  evil,  for  Thou 
art  with  me.  The  entire  experience  will  simply  prove 
to  be  an  open  door  to  better  things  and  greater 
things  than  we  ever  knew  before.  Such  experiences 
sometimes  come  to  those  who  are  in  His  care;  not 
often,  but  sometimes;  and  they  come  to  test  our 
faith,  our  spiritual  strength  and  our  dependence  upon 
Him;  they  come  to  prepare  us  for  a  greater  life,  for 
pastures  green,  for  new  fields  of  endeavor  and  for 
a  higher  mission  in  the  world.  Count  it  all  joy;  so 
long  as  we  are  with  God,  God  will  be  with  us;  and 
He  will  cause  all  things  to  work  together  for  greater 
good  than  we  ever  dreamed. 

Whatever  may  come  to  the  world,  the  best  alone 
can  come  to  us.  And  we  shall  thus,  not  only  realize 
the  richness  and  the  beauty  of  that  life  that  is  lived 
in  God,  but  we  shall  become  living  examples  to  the 
world,  proving  to  the  world  that  God's  way  is  best. 
We  shall  then  demonstrate  to  all  who  have  eyes  to 
see,  that  to  follow  the  light  of  the  spirit  is  to  follow 
that  light  that  leads  into  everything  that  is  worthy 
and  beautiful  in  endless  existence.  The  world  be- 
lieves that  the  spiritual  life  leads  away  from  happi- 
ness and  abundance;  we  must  prove  to  everybody 
that  the  spiritual  life  leads  into  greater  happiness 
and  a  richer  life  than  we  have  ever  known  before. 
And  we  can  prove  this  when  we  take  the  Lord  for 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES  341 

our  shepherd.  When  we  accept  a  place  at  His  table, 
we  shall  demonstrate  in  the  most  tangible  and  the 
most  convincing  manner  that  to  go  with  God  is  to 
go  where  every  person  may  supply  his  every  need; 
and  not  only  be  supplied,  but  supplied  in  the  richest, 
the  most  worthy  and  the  most  ideal  manner  con- 
ceivable. To  go  with  God  is  to  find  everything  that 
heart  can  wish  for  in  this  world,  and  in  addition, 
the  infinite  glory,  the  gorgeous  splendor  and  the  su- 
preme joy  of  His  kingdom  on  the  heights. 

To  be  anointed  with  oil  is  to  have  everything  that 
is  worthy  and  superior  come  down  upon  us.  The  oil 
of  all  things  is  the  richest  essence  of  all  things,  and 
when  we  are  anointed  with  this  richest  essence,  our 
minds  become  enriched  with  all  that  has  quality  and 
worth,  all  that  is  high  in  the  scale  of  being.  And  it 
is  but  natural  that  that  mind  that  lives  and  thinks 
with  God,  should  be  constantly  enriched.  Every- 
thing that  comes  from  God  has  quality;  everything 
that  we  receive  from  God  has  high  worth,  and  every- 
thing that  pertains  to  the  spiritual  life  contains  all 
the  elements  of  real  superiority;  therefore,  to  follow 
God  is  to  rise  eternally  in  the  scale  of  superior  being. 
When  we  elect  to  go  with  God  we  leave  behind  us  all 
that  is  common,  ordinary  or  inferior;  and  we  put  on 
the  royal  garments  of  true  quality  and  high  worth. 
We  become  superior  in  body,  mind  and  soul,  and 
every  element  in  our  being  becomes  a  living  expres- 


342  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

sion  of  that  quality  that  reveals  the  royal  presence  of 
God. 

When  we  are  actually  living  in  the  spirit,  and  can 
fully  appreciate  all  that  is  good  and  beautiful  in  real 
life,  we  become  so  filled  with  gratitude  and  joy  that 
neither  thoughts  nor  words  can  express  what  we 
feel.  It  is  then  that  we  wish  as  never  before  "that 
the  mind  could  fathom  and  the  tongue  could  utter 
the  thoughts  that  arise  in  me."  Our  cup  is  running 
over;  we  have  everything  that  can  fill  the  fullness  of 
life  with  the  richness  of  life,  and  our  joy  is  great 
indeed.  Words  fail  us,  but  that  something  within 
that  is  far  more  eloquent  than  words  gives  utterance 
to  what  we  wish  to  say.  And  as  we  listen,  this  lan- 
guage divine  becomes  heavenly  music,  repeating 
again  and  again  that  tender  refrain,  "God's  beauti- 
ful gift  to  me." 

To  always  live  in  the  realization  of  that  sublime 
state  of  being  where  our  cup  is  running  over,  is  to 
become  conscious  more  and  more  of  the  great  truth 
that  real  life  has  everything  that  man  can  wish  for, 
and  infinitely  more.  And  as  we  grow  in  the  conscious 
realization  of  this  truth,  the  power  of  this  truth  will 
manifest  itself  in  our  external  world.  Then  we  shall 
find  increase  everywhere ;  wherever  we  may  go  in  the 
physical  world,  in  the  mental  world  or  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  God  will  prepare  His  table  before  us, 
and  we  shall  enjoy  the  richest  feast  that  His  infinite 
goodness  can  possibly  provide.  In  every  domain  of 


343 

existence  His  bountiful  hand  will  be  our  supply,  and 
our  cup  will  always  be  running  over.  What  we  feel 
and  realize  in  the  world  of  the  spirit  that  we  shall 
gain  in  the  world  of  things.  Thus  our  joy  becomes 
complete ;  all  that  we  need  is  always  at  hand,  all  that 
we  desire  for  a  greater  existence  shall  be  speedily 
supplied,  and  wherever  our  place  in  life  may  be,  God 
will  appear  and  prepare  His  table  before  us.  He  will 
be  our  supply  always  and  everywhere;  and  existence 
will  be  rich  indeed. 

Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life;  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  for  ever. 

When  the  soul  enters  the  faith  that  leads  eternally 
into  the  kingdom,  the  entire  being  of  man  is  placed 
in  the  keeping  of  the  spirit  of  goodness.  That  power 
that  works  for  the  good  and  the  good  only,  will 
henceforth  be  with  man  under  every  circumstance 
and  condition;  and  all  his  actions  will  be  attended 
by  the  angel  of  mercy.  His  life  will  be  lived  in  the 
consciousness  of  the  Infinite  presence,  and  this  con- 
sciousness is  the  open  door  to  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
The  moment  we  feel  that  God  is  closer  than  breath- 
ing, nearer  than  hands  and  feet,  we  are  upon  the 
threshold  of  the  sublime  spiritual  world— the 
Father's  House  of  the  Many  Mansions,  and  from 
that  moment  we  may  dwell  in  His  house  forever. 
From  that  moment  all  will  be  changed ;  life  will  never 


344  THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

seetti  ordinary,  commonplace  or  mere  existence  any 
more;  we  have  seen  the  House  Beautiful,  we  have 
felt  the  touch  of  the  life  that  God  lives,  we  have 
been  on  the  heights,  and  we  have  had  a  glimpse  of 
the  glory  that  eternity  holds  in  store.  Henceforth, 
there  is  so  much  to  live  for,  that  simply  to  think  of 
the  ever  ascending  destiny  that  lies  before  us,  is  in 
itself  a  source  of  unspeakable  joy.  Then  who  can 
measure  the  peace,  the  joy,  in  brief,  the  unbounded 
ecstasy  that  must  follow  the  living  of  the  life?  Those 
who  have  been  led  beside  the  still  waters  know  the 
meaning  of  such  a  life.  Those  who  have  entered  the 
house  of  the  Lord  know  what  is  prepared  for  them 
that  love  Him.  But  tongue  can  never  tell,  and  only 
the  mind  of  the  soul  can  understand. 

To  follow  the  spirit  is  to  enter  the  glorified  vast- 
ness  of  the  great  spiritual  mind  within;  and  here  i& 
wisdom.  Spiritual  things  must  be  spiritually  dis- 
cerned; we  must  enter  spiritual  light  in  order  to 
know  the  reality  of  our  own  divine  being,  and  the 
mind  of  the  soul  is  eternally  illumined  with  this  light. 
There  are  no  mysteries  in  spiritual  consciousness; 
all  is  clear;  the  meaning  of  life  is  perfectly  under- 
stood; the  purpose  of  it  all  is  distinctly  revealed, 
and  the  soul  knows  what  it  is  about  every  step  of  the 
way.  Every  soul  that  goes  with  God  in  all  things 
and  at  all  times,  will  ever  live  in  this  consciousness,, 
and  will  ever  rise  higher  and  higher  into  the  greater 
brilliancy  and  the  more  sublime  beauty  of  the  spir- 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  345 

itual  light.  To  live  such  a  life  is  to  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  and  whosoever  will  may  dwell  in 
that  house  forever. 

The  world  in  which  we  live  may  not,  at  present, 
contain  everything  that  the  heart  can  wish  for;  but 
" there  is  another  and  a  better  world"  that  does  con- 
tain everything.  Our  human  dwelling  place  may  not 
be  perfect,  it  may  not  be  complete,  it  may  not  satisfy 
the  soul's  longing  for  the  ideal  and  the  beautiful; 
but  the  house  of  the  Lord  can  satisfy.  We  there- 
fore need  not  be  unhappy;  personal  life  need  not  be 
incomplete  because  there  are  seeming  limitations 
among  external  conditions.  The  fact  that  we  mani- 
fest in  visible  form  does  not  mean  that  we  should 
live  wholly  among  visible  things.  The  law  of  true 
being  is  to  manifest  in  the  personal  but  to  always 
live  in  the  spiritual.  The  house  of  the  Lord  is  our 
true  dwelling  place  now  and  forever.  And  as  there 
are  many  mansions  in  the  Father's  House— innumer- 
able mansions,  we  shall  not  be  confined  to  one  place, 
or  one  state  of  existence;  we  shall  live  in  each  of 
these  mansions;  we  shall  enjoy  them  all,  we  shall 
pass  through  them  all  as  eternity  goes  on.  No  mat- 
ter how  lofty  the  present  abode  of  the  soul,  there  is 
always  something  higher;  no  matter  how  unspeak- 
able our  spiritual  joys  today,  or  any  time  in  eternity, 
there  are  always  greater  joys  coming  in  days  that  are 
yet  to  be.  We  thus  realize  what  it  means  to  dwell  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  forever. 

•When  we  have  entered  to  dwell  permanently  in  the 


346 

house  of  the  Lord,  existence,  both  personal  and  spir- 
itual, becomes  perpetual  joy.  Whatever  external 
conditions  may  be,  or  whatever  may  come  and  go  in 
personal  life,  we  are  always  in  the  joy  everlasting, 
in  the  peace  that  passeth  understanding,  in  the  world 
on  high  where  all  is  forever  well.  We  no  longer  de- 
pend upon  things,  and  we  are  no  longer  moved  by 
things ;  we  have  transcended  the  world  of  things ;  we 
have  gained  the  power  to  perfectly  use  things,  and 
we  are  attaining  the  mastery  of  all  things.  We  are 
living  in  God's  world— the  world  of  limitless  rich- 
ness, happiness  and  power;  therefore,  the  world  of 
things  constitutes  but  a  small  part  of  our  vast  and 
wonderful  domain.  We  have  found  so  many  sources 
of  joy,  so  many  states  of  being  that  can  add  to  the 
value  of  life,  that  though  other  things  should  some- 
times fail,  we  are  never  affected  in  the  least.  Con- 
fusion and  failure  in  the  outer  world  mean  no  more 
to  us  than  the  loss  of  a  penny  would  mean  to  a  man 
who  owns  a  mountain  of  gold.  Things  may  come 
and  go  in  the  outer  world,  but  we  are  living  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord.  In  that  house  there  is  never  con- 
fusion, trouble  nor  pain;  in  that  house  there  can  be 
neither  failure  nor  want.  The  Most  High  provides 
for  that  house;  therefore  so  long  as  we  dwell  in  His 
house  we  shall  want  for  nothing.  Whatever  may 
come  or  go,  we  shall  always  have  abundance,  both  in 
the  within  and  in  the  without.  We  need  fear  nothing; 
we  may  rejoice  always,  for  in  His  house  all  is  well, 
and  for  evermore  shall  be. 


Dream  on  fair  soul,  dream  on.  Thy  visions 
are  not  in  vain.  Other  and  greater  worlds  are 
waiting  for  thee.  Dream  on  fair  soul,  dream  on. 
Let  thy  spirit  ascend  to  the  supreme  heights  of 
those  greater  Worlds  where  thou  shall  behold  the 
glory  and  splendor  of  that  sublime  existence  that 
is  in  store  for  thee.  And  let  nothing  that  may 
come  or  go  in  thy  waking  hours  cause  thee  to 
forget  what  thou  hast  seen.  For  the  time  is 
near  when  the  dreams  of  the  night  shall  rise  with 
the  morning  but  shall  not  depart  with  the  setting 
sun.  What  thou  hast  seen  in  thy  visions  shall 
come  to  remain;  and  what  thy  lofty  moments 
have  revealed  to  thee  shall  become  thine  own 
forever. 


CHAPTER  XXVIU 

GOD^S  BEAUTIFUL  GIFT  TO  ME 

The  great  goal  is  cosmic  consciousness,  and  every 
soul  that  endeavors  to  live  according  to  the  highest 
light  that  is  known  in  the  world,  is  daily  drawing 
nearer  and  nearer  to  that  sublime  state.  To  such  a 
soul  the  heavens  may  be  opened  at  any  time,  and  the 
splendors  of  the  cosmic  world  revealed.  Then  every- 
thing will  change.  Life  will  not  be  the  same  any 
more.  The  meaning  of  it  all  will  be  discerned,  and  no 
fault  can  be  found  anywhere.  When  we  look  at  life 
from  the  heights  of  the  cosmic  realm  we  can  see  only 
the  divine  side  of  existence ;  we  therefore  can  see  no 
evil;  in  brief,  when  we  are  in  the  cosmic  we  have 
absolutely  forgotten  everything  about  evil;  we  do 
not  know  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  evil  because 
we  are  in  that  exalted  world  where  we  can  be  con- 
scious only  of  the  good.  And  here  is  the  real  evi- 
dence of  cosmic  consciousness.  When  you  have 
entered  the  peace  that  passeth  understanding  and 
the  joy  that  can  only  be  described  as  a  million 
heavens  in  one,  you  are  in  the  cosmic  state,  provid- 
ing )Tou  have  forgotten  every  ill  and  every  wrong 

349 


350  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

you  ever  knew.  In  the  cosmic  world  everything  is  as 
God  made  it;  nothing  has  been  changed  in  any  way; 
absolute  perfection  and  absolute  divinity  reign  su- 
premely, and  the  glory  of  it  all  no  power  in  man 
can  ever  attempt  to  picture.  It  is  beyond  all  the 
powers  of  the  personal  man;  it  is  for  the  soul  only 
to  understand  and  enjoy. 

When  we  enter  the  cosmic  state  we  transcend  that 
part  of  man  that  takes  cognizance  of  the  imperfect 
and  incomplete;  we  enter  a  realm  that  never  knew 
anything  less  than  absolute,  divine  perfection,  and 
therefore  when  we  are  in  that  realm  we  can  know  no 
evil.  In  the  cosmic  state  our  eyes  are  too  pure  to  see 
evil,  and  the  mind  too  high  in  divine  consciousness 
to  even  think  of  evil.  We  are  thinking  the  thoughts 
of  the  Infinite  and  everything  we  are  conscious  of  is 
manifesting  the  shining  glory  of  the  Most  High.  In 
the  cosmic  state  we  think  the  truth,  the  absolute 
truth,  because  in  that  state  everything  is  the  expres- 
sion of  absolute  truth.  Therefore,  the  more  frequently 
we  enter  into  the  realization  of  cosmic  consciousness 
the  more  fully  will  the  mind  discern  the  truth,  and 
the  more  readily  can  we  think  the  truth  whatever  the 
field  of  our  thought  may  be. 

There  are  many  minds  that  think  that  they  have 
frequent  experiences  in  cosmic  consciousness,  but  not 
all  of  these  have  judged  those  experiences  correctly. 
The  great  within  is  filled  with  wonderful  realms  of 
every  description,  and  some  have  mistaken  one  or 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  351 

more  of  these  realms  for  the  home  of  the  soul  when 
the  body  has  been  removed.  Many  have  thought 
they  have  seen  heaven  after  beholding  the  gorgeous 
splendor  of  these  inner  realms,  while  others,  after 
meeting  the  beautiful  thoughts  that  take  human 
shape  in  the  great  within,  believe  they  have  con- 
versed with  angels.  But  this  is  not  the  cosmic  world. 
Though  we  may  find  peace  and  joy  and  ecstasy  with- 
out measure  in  many  of  these  beautiful  interior 
realms,  still  we  also  find  imperfection  in  one  or  more 
of  its  many  forms.  We  do  not  forget  evil  while  we 
are  in  the  ecstasy  of  the  great  within;  nor  do  we  be- 
come unconscious  of  everything  but  that  which  is 
pure  shining  divinity.  This,  however,  is  precisely 
what  happens  when  we  are  in  the  cosmic  state;  we 
meet  only  that  which  is  wholly  in  the  likeness  of 
God,  and  our  joy  at  times  becomes  so  great  that  our 
feelings  cannot  contain  themselves.  Our  cup  over- 
flows and  the  person  bursts  forth  in  tears.  We  have 
found  that  for  which  we  have  waited  and  prayed  so 
long;  we  are  inwardly  moved  as  never  before,  and 
it  is  but  natural  that  the  person  should  weep  for  joy. 
We  have  found  eternal  life,  we  have  felt  His 
presence,  we  have  touched  the  hem  of  His  garment, 
we  have  met  Him  face  to  face. 

The  greater  number  of  those  who  are  spiritually 
inclined  are  almost  constantly  on  the  verge  of  the 
cosmic  state,  and  at  intervals  they  receive  glimpses 
of  that  wondrous  world.  Could  they  but  see  them- 


352  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

selves  at  such  moments,  they  would  discover  that 
their  faces  are  also  shining  as  the  sun,  for  their 
minds  are  illumined  with  radiant  glory  from  on 
high.  But  such  moments  do  not  usually  come  when 
the  senses  expect  them,  nor  can  they  be  produced  at 
will.  We  gain  glimpses  of  the  cosmic  only  when  the 
soul  occupies  the  supreme  state  in  consciousness,  and 
we  begin  to  live  within  the  pearly  gates  of  the  cos- 
mic when  the  soul  has  gained  full  supremacy  in  every 
domain  in  consciousness.  Therefore,  to  attain  cos- 
mic consciousness,  we  must  give  the  spiritual  life  the 
first  place  in  everything;  we  must  do  everything  to 
the  glory  of  God,  and  follow  the  light  of  the  spirit 
in  everything  we  may  think  or  do.  The  eye  must  be 
single,  and  to  see  and  to  know  only  that  which  is 
wholly  divine  must  be  the  one  supreme  desire. 

The  ruling  spirit  in  the  cosmic  world  is  divine  per- 
fection ;  therefore  the  more  we  think  of  divine  perfec- 
tion, and  the  more  we  try  to  see  divine  perfection  in 
all  things,  the  more  we  develop  the  consciousness  of 
divine  perfection;  and  the  development  of  this  form 
of  consciousness  will  finally  culminate  in  divine  con- 
sciousness which  is  synonymous  with  cosmic  con- 
sciousness. To  keep  the  eye  single  upon  the  great 
truth  that  every  creation  of  God  is  good  is  to  draw 
nearer  and  nearer  to  that  state  where  we  became  con- 
scious only  of  the  absolutely  good;  then  follows  the 
limitless  joy  of  the  cosmic  world.  But  when  we  per- 
mit the  eye  to  become  double,  and  begin  to  see  the 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  353 

evil  as  well  as  the  good,  the  unreal  as  well  as  the  real, 
we  fall  from  our  lofty  state;  and  this  is  the  only  fall 
of  man.  When  we  partake  of  the  fruit  from  the  tree 
of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  we  fall  from  the 
cosmic  world,  and  we  have  to  leave  paradise.  We 
cannot  live  in  the  garden  of  bliss,  in  the  joys  of  cos- 
mic consciousness,  so  long  as  we  know  evil  as  well  as 
good;  but  when  we  become  unconscious  of  evil,  with 
the  eye  single  upon  His  supreme  goodness  alone,  then 
the  gates  of  paradise  shall  open  for  us  once  more. 
Then  we  shall  forget  everything  but  that  which  is 
good  and  beautiful  and  true;  we  shall  enter  the  new 
heaven  and  the  new  earth,  the  new  heaven  in  the 
within,  and  the  new  earth  in  the  without,  and  while 
still  in  personal  form  we  shall  live  in  the  cosmic 
world. 

To  rise  daily  into  a  higher  and  better  understand- 
ing of  the  reality  of  the  cosmic  state  of  existence  is 
to  become  conscious,  more  and  more,  of  the  real 
sweetness  of  existence.  Life  becomes  so  rich  and  so 
beautiful  that  to  live  is  in  itself  absolutely  sufficient. 
In  the  cosmic  state  every  moment  seems  to  be  an 
eternity  of  bliss,  and  every  movement  of  conscious- 
ness produces  a  million  pleasures.  In  comparison,  the 
joys  of  sense  have  no  significance  whatever.  There- 
fore, when  the  mere  living  of  life  gives  all  the  joy  that 
heart  and  soul  may  desire,  it  is  evidence  conclusive 
that  the  cosmic  state  has  been  reached ;  and  the  joys 


354  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

that  are  to  follow,  the  soul  on  the  heights  alone  c-n 
know. 

The  cosmic  world  is  that  highly  refined,  spiritual- 
ized world  all  about  us,  permeating  everything,  en- 
compassing everything ;  the  great  divine  sea  in  which 
we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being;  a  world  of 
pure  light,  gorgeous  splendor  and  celestial  brilliar^y. 
The  cosmic  world  is  the  world  sublime;  it  is  every- 
where, and  we  live  in  it  now  and  eternally,  but  only 
those  who  are  spiritually  awakened  can  discern  its 
reality  and  behold  the  shining  glories  of  its  fair 
transcendent  realms.  When  the  true  spiritual  awak- 
ening begins  we  discover  the  cosmic  world,  and  we 
enter  cosmic  consciousness.  The  heavens  are  opened 
and  the  vision  before  us  reveals  splendors  and  glories 
that  tongue  can  never  describe,  joys  that  cannot  be 
measured,  and  life  that  is  a  million  heavens  in  one. 

When  we  are  in  the  cosmic  state  the  entire  world 
is  clothed  with  the  sun;  the  waters  of  the  deep  reflect 
the  radiant  glory  of  celestial  kingdoms,  and  the 
mountains  proclaim  the  majesty  and  the  power  of  the 
life  that  is  lived  on  the  heights.  Nature  sings  the 
everlasting  praises  of  Him  who  is  closer  than  breath- 
ing, nearer  than  hands  and  feet,  and  every  human 
countenance  beams  with  the  beautiful  smile  of  God. 
The  flowers  declare  the  thoughts  of  the  Infinite:  the 
forest  chants  the  silent  prelude  to  worship,  while  the 
birds  inspire  the  soul  to  ascend  to  the  vast  empyrean 
blue.  We  are  speechless  with  ecstasy,  but  as  we  be- 


355 

hold  the  beauty  and  glory  of  it  all  the  spirit  within 
speaks  from  out  the  fullness  of  the  heart  and  sweetly 
proclaims  in  language  divine— "God's  beautiful  gift 
to  me." 

There  is  an  upper  realm  in  the  spiritual  life  of  man 
where  the  reality  and  perfection  of  divine  existence 
is  revealed.  In  this  realm  all  is  truth,  all  is  purity, 
all  is  love.  To  enter  this  realm  is  to  become  con- 
scious of  eternal  truth  and  understand  the  truth  as 
it  manifests  everywhere.  In  the  cosmic  state  the 
spiritual  understanding  of  truth  is  complete,  there- 
fore every  step  in  the  spiritual  understanding  of 
truth  is  a  step  towards  cosmic  consciousness.  All 
understanding  is  spiritual  that  discerns  the  spirit  of 
truth  as  well  as  the  reality  of  truth;  and  the  mind 
develops  in  the  discernment  of  truth  when  every  ef- 
fort to  understand  truth  enters  into  the  very  inner- 
most life  of  truth.  When  you  think  of  truth,  think  of 
the  spirit  of  truth;  that  is,  that  spiritual  life  or  soul 
that  is  within  truth;  and  desire  with  all  the  power 
of  life,  thought  and  feeling  to  enter  into  the  soul  of 
truth.  To  enter  into  the  soul  of  truth  is  to  enter  into 
the  cosmic  state,  and  you  not  only  gain  an  illumined 
understanding  of  the  truth  itself,  but  you  become 
conscious  of  the  entire  cosmic  world.  The  heavens 
are  opened,  for  I  Am  the  door,  the  way,  the  truth— 
the  spirit  of  truth. 

To  enter  the  cosmic  state  is  to  become  conscious 
of  that  divinity  within  us  that  is  too  pure  to  behold 


356  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

anything  but  that  which  is  absolute  purity.  * '  To  the 
pure  all  things  are  pure, ' '  and  in  the  cosmic  state  we 
become  pure ;  we  enter  into  the  world  of  shining  pu- 
rity ;  we  do  not  recognize  evil,  and  to  us,  iniquity  has 
no  significance  whatever.  While  we  are  in  the  cos- 
mic state  we  are  in  a  pure  state  and  can  know  only 
the  boundless  world  of  sublime  purity  that  is  all 
about  us  and  all  within  us  everywhere.  Therefore, 
to  enter  the  cosmic  state  the  mind  must  be  pure;  that 
is,  the  mind  must  face  the  divinity  that  is  in  all 
things,  and  must,  at  all  times,  keep  the  eye  single 
upon  the  shining  purity  of  that  divinity. 

The  cosmic  realm  is  filled  through  and  through 
with  love,  and  to  enter  this  realm  is  to  love  every 
living  creature  with  all  the  power  of  heart  and  soul. 
When  you  are  in  the  cosmic  state  you  are  in  the  uni- 
versal; all  life  is  divine  to  you;  all  life  is  beautiful, 
all  life  is  precious,  all  life  is  sacred;  your  sympathy 
is  as  large  as  the  universe  and  as  touching  as  the  in- 
nermost tenderness  of  the  soul.  To  love  everybody, 
no  matter  what  they  are  or  what  they  have  done,  is 
a  part  of  your  own  life.  You  are  above  personal  con- 
ditions; you  are  above  personal  deeds;  you  can  see 
through  the  imperfect  and  behold  the  shining  glory 
that  reigns  supremely  in  all  that  is.  You  see  the  di- 
vine reality  in  all  things  and  you  love  it  with  all  the 
tenderness  of  heart  and  soul.  This  divine  loveliness 
in  all  things  is  the  all  in  all  in  all  things ;  to  you  it  is 
beautiful,  ''fairer  than  ten  thousand  to  the  soul." 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  357 

To  love  in  the  spirit  of  the  universal  is  not  to  dis- 
regard the  person.  You  love  the  person  infinitely 
more  because  when  you  are  in  the  cosmic  every  atom 
in  the  person  is  glorified  with  the  presence  of  Him 
who  is  closer  to  life  than  breathing,  nearer  than 
hands  and  feet.  You  love  the  person  because  all  that 
is  true  in  that  person  is  the  coming  forth  of  the  di- 
vine. That  which  may  not  be  true  you  do  not  see; 
your  eyes  are  too  pure  to  behold  iniquity;  besides, 
the  imperfect  in  any  person  is  insignificant  and  does 
not  belong  to  the  real  person  himself.  Even  in  the 
most  sinful  of  persons  the  evil  is  but  a  fragment  com- 
pared with  the  good  that  is  inherent  in  every  fibre  of 
his  being.  Take  the  worst  person  in  the  world  and 
you  will  find  the  good  and  the  right  in  him  a  thou- 
sand times  greater  than  the  wrong.  When  you  are 
awakened  to  the  truth  you  know  this;  therefore  it 
becomes  so  easy  to  love;  and  since  your  heart  is 
simply  overflowing  with  love,  you  must  love— love 
everything  and  everybody.  And  what  a  supreme  joy 
is  found  in  such  a  love. 

To  enter  the  cosmic  state  and  develop  cosmic  con- 
sciousness, the  soul  must  be  given  perfect  freedom 
to  love  in  the  universal.  It  is  a  part  of  the  life  of  the 
soul  to  love  everything  in  existence,  therefore  the 
physical  senses  must  not  interfere  with  this  love  by 
impressing  the  mind  to  think  that  some  things  are 
evil  and  not  worthy  of  love.  Everything  is  worthy  of 
love  because  in  everything  the  good  is  infinitely 


358  THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES 

greater  than  that  which  appears  not  to  be  good.  The 
senses  must  be  trained  to  recognize  this  great  truth 
and  the  mind  must  be  trained  to  harmonize  all  think- 
ing with  the  sublime  desires  of  the  soul.  When  you 
meet  a  person  see  the  all  in  all  in  that  person;  you 
will  then  see  the  shining  purity  of  divine  loveliness 
animating  every  fibre  of  his  being;  his  countenance 
will  be  glorified  before  you,  and  you  will  love  him 
with  that  beautiful  love  that  reigned  in  the  tender- 
ness of  the  Christ.  Meet  all  things  in  this  sublime 
spiritual  attitude,  and  the  material  veil  will  be  re- 
moved more  and  more  until  all  the  splendors  of  the 
cosmic  world  are  revealed  to  your  vision. 

To  develop  cosmic  consciousness,  place  yourself  in 
the  hands  of  higher  power.  Depend  upon  higher 
power  in  all  things;  do  nothing  without  first  calling 
upon  higher  power;  and  so  live  that  every  thought, 
word  and  action  is  inspired  by  the  spirit  of  higher 
power.  Feel  that  higher  power  is  always  with  you ; 
deeply  desire  higher  power  to  direct  you,  and  open 
consciousness  so  completely  to  the  limitless  life  of 
higher  power  that  you  actually  realize  that  you  live, 
move  and  have  your  being  in  the  infinite  power  of 
the  Most  High.  To  enter  the  cosmic  state  you  must 
transcend  all  belief  in  limitations ;  you  must  enter  the 
universal  where  you  clearly  discern  that  all  things 
are  possible,  for  God  is  everywhere;  and  when  your 
life  is  filled  through  and  through  with  the  presence 
of  higher  power  you  are  lifted  to  the  mountain  tops 


THE  PATHWAY  OF  ROSES  359 

of  this  lofty  state.  You  rise  above  personal  condi- 
tions and  enter  the  limitless — where  life  is  limitless, 
where  power  is  limitless,  where  truth  is  limitless, 
where  light  is  limitless,  where  the  good  is  limitless, 
where  love  is  limitless— where  everything  is  limit- 
less; and  that  is  the  cosmic  world. 

To  live  by  faith  is  another  supreme  essential  in  the 
attainment  of  this  sublime  state.  It  is  the  very  na- 
ture of  faith  to  go  out  upon  the  limitless,  and 
wherever  faith  may  go,  better  things,  higher  things 
and  greater  things  are  found  than  were  ever  known 
before.  Faith  invariably  leads  upward  and  onward; 
faith  always  inspires  the  soul  to  ascend;  while  the 
spirit  of  faith  illumines  the  way.  To  enter  into  the 
true  spirit  of  faith,  have  faith  in  the  innermost  life 
of  faith.  There  is  a  hidden  power  in  faith;  this 
power  is  the  power  of  the  Infinite;  it  is  the  soul  of 
faith,  the  spirit  of  faith,  and  is  eternally  one  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Most  High.  To  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  faith  is  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  Most  High, 
and  thus  be  filled  through  and  through  with  the 
power  of  the  Most  High.  And  this  is  the  reason  why 
all  things  are  possible  to  him  who  has  faith. 

When  you  use  the  power  of  faith,  have  faith  with 
the  spirit  of  faith.  You  thus  enter  into  the  real  power 
of  faith  and  the  illumined  world  of  faith.  In  conse- 
quence, you  not  only  gain  the  power  to  make  all 
things  possible,  but  you  also  enter  into  the  spiritual 
light,  and  in  the  spiritual  light  the  shining  glory  of 


360     .       THE  PATHWAY  OF  EOSES 

the  cosmic  is  revealed.  To  have  faith  with  the  spirit 
of  faith,  think  of  that  supreme  spiritual  life  and 
power  that  is  in  faith.  Mentally  dwell  upon  this 
inner  life  of  faith,  and  whenever  you  use  your  faith, 
which  should  be  eveiy  moment  of  existence,  enter 
into  the  spirit  of  faith  with  all  the  power  of  feeling, 
thought  and  soul.  You  thus  place  yourself  in  perfect 
spiritual  touch  with  the  world  of  celestial  light,  with 
the  world  of  divine  wisdom,  with  the  world  of  eternal 
life,  with  the  world  of  limitless  power,  with  the  world 
of  shining  purity,  with  the  world  of  that  love  that 
loves  everything  and  everybody  with  the  most  touch- 
ing tenderness  of  the  Most  High.  You  are  in  the 
Mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus;  you  are  in  the  same 
Spirit  that  He  was  when  His  face  did  shine  as  the 
sun  and  His  garment  became  white  as  the  light. 


THE 

LARSON  BOOKS 

OVER  300,000  SOLD 


FOR  SALE  BY 
ALL  BOOKSELLERS 


Business    Inspirations 


IT  is  the  law  that  the  more  power  we  use  the 
more  power  we  generate — declares  Mr. 
Larson.  There  is  a  marked  distinction,  how- 
ever, between  using  power  and  wasting  power. 
This  is  one  of  the  keynotes  of  a  book  which  ap- 
proaches the  world  of  business  from  its  higher, 
or  inspirational  side.  Too  many  men  view 
business  merely  as  a  money-making  operation, 
totally  losing  sight  of  the  fact  that  it  may  be 
used  as  a  means  of  growth.  Business  is,  in 
fact,  what  one  makes  it — whether  something 
sordid  or  something  noble. 

In  line  with  the  higher  ideals,  the  present 
book  includes  twenty-seven  short  chapters  or 
talks  packed  full  of  suggestion.  Typical  sub- 
jects are  given  below. 

CONTENTS 

Follow  the  High  Vision.  Inspiration  moves  the 
World.  How  we  gain  Power.  The  secret  of  doing 
much.  The  Good  Cheer  attitude.  Business  Men 
are  human.  The  Magic  of  Sincerity.  It  pays  to 
look  well.  Talents  respond  to  praise.  The  full  pos- 
itive action.  What  makes  men  great.  Giving  your 
whole  self.  Knowing  how  to  work.  The  secret 
of  getting  on.  Creating  the  right  idea.  Where 
great  achievements  begin.  The  will  to  do  more. 
The  secret  desire  of  every  soul. 


In   the   Light   of   the   Spirit 


WITH  his  accustomed  sane  and  broad  theology, 
Mr.  Larson  here  presents  a  series  of  talks 
upon  the  spiritual  life.  He  is  especially  interested  in 
the  life  of  the  hereafter,  which,  he  points  out.  is 
bound  up  with  the  now.  "The  true  pathway  of  life 
is  the  eternal  path  of  an  endless  ascension — the  soul 
rising  ever  and  ever  into  higher  and  higher  states  of 
existence.  It  is  the  path  of  wisdom  and  light,  the 
path  of  freedom  and  truth — the  straight  and  narrow 
path — the  path  leading  directly  toward  the  spiritual 
heights ;  but  it  is  not  a  path  of  suffering.  There  is 
neither  suffering  nor  bondage  upon  this  path.  It  is 
when  we  step  outside  this  path  that  we  suffer." 

The  author  divides  his  discussion  into  eighteen 
chapters :  Leave  it  to  God — The  Highest  Prayer — 
The  Religion  of  the  Soul — The  Spiritual  Side  of 
Life— The  Right  Handed  Path— The  Mysteries  of 
the  Kingdom — The  Secret  of  Spiritual  Power — The 
Use  of  Spiritual  Power — The  Light  of  Inner  Con- 
sciousness— The  Power  of  Spiritual  Transparence 
Upon  the  Path  Where  All  Is  Good— The  I  am  Is  the 
Way — I  Go  Unto  the  Father — I  am  with  You  Always 
—It  Is  Well  with  the  Soul— The  Spiritual  Border- 
land— When  God  So  Wills — Regions  of  Infinite 
Repose. 

To  read  the  Larson  books  is  to  get  a  refreshing, 
common-sense  view  of  life's  larger  questions.  He  is 
not  concerned  with  creeds  and  isms.  He  pictures  the 
soul  as  constantly  expanding  and  therefore  requiring 
the  broadest  limits  in  its  search  for  the  truth.  The 
final  life  is  the  spiritual.  When,  therefore,  "the 
human  entity  begins  to  realize  that  the  spiritual  side 
is  more  real  than  the  physical  side,  consciousness  will 
begin  to  function  more  definitely  upon  the  spiritual 
side;  that  is,  life  will  be  lived,  not  from  the  body,  but 
from  the  soul ;  and  when  we  live  in  the  soui,  and 
from  the  soul,  we  will  give  expression  to  an  ever- 
increasing  measure  of  life,  wisdom  and  power." 


The  Ideal   Made  Real 

or,  Applied  Metaphysics  for  Beginners 


WE  all  can  make  life  rich,  wholesome  and 
ideal;  the  Ideal  can  be  made  Real; 
there  is  a  science  and  an  art  of  ideal  living; 
there  is  an  open  door  to  better  things ;  you  can 
make  your  dreams  come  true  now  and  live  a 
life  that  is  full  and  complete  now;  you  can 
realize  your  heart's  desire  and  reach  the  very 
highest  goal  you  may  have  in  view.  How  to 
begin  is  the  one  question  that  thousands  are 
asking  to-day. 


CHAPTER  HEADINGS 

The  Ideal  Made  Real.  How  to  Begin.  The  Prime 
Essential.  The  First  Steps  in  Ideal  Living.  The 
First  Thought  in  Ideal  Thinking.  The  Ideal  and 
the  Real  Made  One.  The  First  Steps  Toward  Eman- 
cipation. Paths  to  Perpetual  Increase.  Consider 
the  Lilies.  Count  It  All  Joy.  The  True  Use  of 
Kindness  and  Sympathy.  Talk  Health,  Happiness 
and  Prosperity.  What  Determines  the  Destiny  of 
Man.  To  Him  That  Hath  Shall  Be  Given.  The 
Life  That  Is  Worth  Living.  When  All  Things  Be- 
come Possible.  The  Art  of  Getting  What  Is 
Wanted.  Paths  to  Happiness.  Creating  Ideal  Sur- 
roundings. Changing  Your  Own  Fate.  Building 
Your  Own  Ideal  World. 


Healing      Yourself 

MR.  LARSON  has  written  many  books  on 
the  forces  of  New  Thought,  but  none 
Jnore  directly  to  the  point  than  the  present  one 
on  "Healing  Yourself."  He  presupposes  no 
previous  knowledge  or  training  on  the  part  of 
Ifafi  reader,  in  invoking  these  forces,  but  pro- 
ceeds step  by  step  to  point  out  the  methods 
that  are  likely  to  prove  best  in  individual  cases. 
As  he  states  in  his  preface,  there  are  many 
states  and  conditions  of  mind,  and  many  stages 
in  human  development.  Also  there  are  many 
special  personal  needs.  Therefore,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  have  many  methods  of  healing,  and 
many  ways  to  open  the  doors  to  personal 
emancipation  and  well  being. 

The  opening  chapter  emphasizes  the  need  of 
maintaining  a  full  supply  of  vital  energy,  and 
shows  how  this  may  be  accomplished.  The 
great  law  set  forth  by  the  author  is  that  "it  is 
absolutely  impossible  for  any  form  of  disease, 
physical  or  mental,  organic  or  functional,  to 
enter  the  human  system  so  long  as  that  system 
is  abundantly  supplied  with  vital  energy.  And 
it  is  absolutely  impossible  for  any  form  of  dis- 
ease to  remain  in  the  human  system  after  a  full 
supply  of  vital  energy  has  been  provided  for 
every  part  of  that  system.  Then  follow  clear- 
cut  talks  on  "Nourishing  the  Body,"  "Nourish- 
ing the  Mind" — twelve  chapters  in  all,  freighted 
with  the  same  message. 

Full  Supply  of  Vital  Energy — The  Super-Physical 
Breath — Psychological  Equilibrium — Nourishing  the 
Body— Nourishing  the  Mind— The  Will  to  be  Well- 
Interior  Relaxation— Imagine  Yourself  Well— The 
Real  Living  of  Life— The  Right  Use  of  Body,  Mind 
and  Soul — The  Finer  Curative  Forces — Living  in  the 
Absolute. 


My    Ideal    of    Marriage 

WHEN  one  undertakes  to  write  something 
new  about  an  institution  so  old  as  mar- 
riage, one  must,  at  least,  have  the  courage  of 
one's  convictions — plus  something  to  say.  The 
many  readers  of  the  Larson  books  will  be  as- 
sured at  the  outset  of  these  two  assets.  Their 
chief  curiosity  will  be  as  to  how  gently  he  will 
deal  with  this  sacred  theme.  Mr.  Larson  has 
taught  in  all  his  books  that  progress  is  the  in- 
evitable law  of  life,  and  all  that  does  not  prog- 
ress must  be  thrust  aside.  We  are  not  surprised, 
therefore,  to  find  him  stating  that  "among  the 
many  institutions  that  will  be  affected  directly 
and  immediately  by  the  great  changes  that  are 
rapidly  coming  over  the  world,  the  institution 
of  marriage  is  by  no  means  the  least  impor- 
tant." Again  he  says,  "Marriage  today  does 
not  measure  up  to  the  new  ideals  of  life ;  and 
the  modern  home,  with  a  few  noble  exceptions, 
does  not  possess  those  finer  elements  that  alone 
can  lift  the  race  to  a  higher  level  of  conduct 
and  existence.  A  decided  change,  therefore, 
must  come,  both  in  the  ideals  of  the  home  and 
in  the  ideals  of  the  marital  state ;  but  we  must 
understand  the  psychology  of  sex  before  we  can 
proceed  to  bring  about  the  change  required." 
The  author,  however,  is  not  iconoclastic  in  the 
present  book.  His  criticism  is  constructive,  and 
as  it  is  presented  by  a  series  of  logical  steps  it 
is  hardly  fair  to  make  brief  excerpts.  Instead, 
the  reader  is  invited  to  follow  for  himself  the 
arguments  through  which  the  author  reaches 
his  "ideal."  Whether  or  not  one  agrees,  the 
book  will  provide  abundant  food  for  thought. 


How   the  Mind  Works 


A  BOOK  of  exceptional  value,  dealing  with 
a  subject  that  is  of  vital  interest  to  all 
students    of    modern    metaphysics,    the    new 
psychology  and  practical  idealism. 

Man  is  as  he  thinks ;  therefore  he  can 
change  himself,  his  life,  and  even  his  circum- 
stances, by  changing  his  thought.  But  before 
he  can  change  his  thought  he  must  understand 
those  laws  and  processes  through  which 
thought  is  produced;  that  is,  he  must  know 
how  the  mind  works. 


CONTENTS 

The  Greatest  Power  in  Man.  The  Best  Use  of 
the  Mind.  What  Determines  Mental  Action.  The 
Leading  Metaphysical  Law.  How  the  Mind  Makes 
the  Man.  How  Mental  Pictures  Become  Realities. 
The  Increase  of  Mental  Power.  The  Within  and 
the  Without.  Finding  Your  Place  in  Life.  When 
All  Things  Work  for  Good.  With  What  Measure 
Ye  Mete.  Finding  Material  for  Mind  Building. 
Building  the  Superior  Mind.  The  Secret  of  the 
Master  Mind.  The  Power  of  Mind  Over  Body. 
The  Power  of  Mind  Over  Destiny.  The  X-Ray 
Power  of  the  Mind.  When  Mind  is  Broad  and 
Deep.  The  Greatest  Mind  of  All.  When  Mind  is 
on  the  Heights. 


oise     and     Power 


A  VERY  practical  book  with  many  definite 
and  specific  instructions  on  how  to  pre- 
vent the  energy  of  the   system   from  being 

wasted. 

PARTIAL   CONTENTS 

The  Human  Personality,  a  Living  Dynamo.  Sick- 
ness Impossible  While  the  System  Is  Full  of  Energy. 
What  Man  Could  Do  If  He  Saved  and  Used  All 
His  Power.  Where  Energy  Leaks  Out,  and  How  to 
Close  Up  the  Leaks.  A  Scientific  Remedy  for  Ner- 
vousness. The  Powerful  Mind  Thinks  with  Every 
Nerve.  The  Remarkable  Power  of  Real  Virtue. 
How  to  Work.  You  Need  Not  Become  Tired. 
How  Work  Should  Develop  Mind  and  Body.  The 
Art  of  Resting.  How  to  Recuperate.  Concentration. 


How   Great   Men  Succeed 


THINGS  do  not  happen  by  chance.  Good 
fortune  is  not  the  result  of  good  luck; 
and  great  achievements  do  not  appear  of  them- 
selves. There  is  a  law  back  of,  and  under- 
neath, all  exceptional  accomplishments,  and 
great  men  are  successful  largely  because  they 
know  how  to  apply  that  law.  In  this  book 
that  important  law  is  fully  explained,  and  in 
language  that  all  can  understand.  It  will  not 
only  prove  a  living  inspiration  to  you  every 
day  of  your  life,  but  will  also  give  you  inval- 
uable information  on  a  subject  with  which 
every  man  must  be  familiar  to  be  true  to 
himself. 


Your  Forces  and   How  to 
Use  Them 


IT  IS  only  a  few  years,  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  since  modern  psy- 
chology began  to  proclaim  the  new  science  of 
human  thought  and  action,  and  to  demon- 
strate what  a  more  intelligent  application  of 
our  energies  and  forces  can  accomplish. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  book  not  only  to 
discuss  these  greater  powers  and  possibilities 
in  man,  but  also  to  present  practical  methods 
through  which  they  may  be  applied,  and  to 
encourage  as  many  as  possible  to  study  and 
apply  these  greater  powers  within  them,  so 
that  they  may  not  only  become  greater  and 
richer  and  more  worthy  as  individuals,  but 
may  become  the  forerunners  of  that  higher 
and  more  wonderful  race  of  which  we  all 
have  so  fondly  dreamed. 

CONTENTS 

The  Ruling  Principle  in  Man,  How  We  Govern 
the  Forces  We  Possess,  The  Use  of  Mind  in  Prac- 
tical Action,  The  Forces  of  the  Subconscious,  Train- 
ing the  Subconscious  for  Special  Results,  The  Power 
of  Subjective  Thought,  How  Man  Becomes  What 
He  Thinks,  The  Art  of  Changing  for  the  Better, 
He  Can  Who  Thinks  He  Can,  How  We  Secure 
What  We  Persistently  Desire,  Concentration  and 
the  Power  Back  of  Suggestion,  The  Development 
of  the  Will,  The  Building  of  a  Great  Mind,  How 
Character  Determines  Constructive  Action,  The  Art 
of  Building  Character,  The  Creative  Forces  in  Man, 
The  Building  Power  of  Constructive  Speech,  Im- 
agination and  the  Master  Mind,  The  Higher  Forces 
in  Man,  The  Greatest  Power  in  Man. 


The    Great    Within 


PARTIAL  CONTENTS 

The  Nature,  Location  and  Functions  of  the  Sub- 
conscious Mind.  The  Powers  and  Possibilities  of 
the  Subconscious.  Where  the  Subconscious  Gains 
the  Power  to  Do  Whatever  It  May  Desire  to  Do. 
How  to  Train  the  Subconscious  to  Remake  Your 
Mentality,  Your  Personality,  Your  Disposition  and 
Your  Nature.  How  to  Direct  the  Subconscious  to 
Correct  the  Flaws,  Defects  and  Imperfections  in 
Your  Nature.  How  to  Direct  the  Subconscious  to 
Eliminate  Disease,  Bad  Habits  and  Adverse  Physical 
or  Mental  Conditions.  How  to  Gain  Greater  Power 
— Physical  and  Mental — from  the  Subconscious. 
How  to  Direct  the  Subconscious  to  Inspire  Your 
Mind  with  New  Ideas,  Better  Plans  and  Superior 
Methods  for  the  Promotion  of  Any  Enterprise  You 
Have  in  Mind. 

Practical,  scientific,  condensed,  directly  to  the 
point — for  the  busy  man.  A  book  that  tells  you  how. 


The     Mind     Cure 


AI AHIS  book  contains  "The  Cure  of  Nerv- 
JL  ousness,"  "The  Cure  of  Insomnia," 
"Good  Health  for  the  Mind,"  "The  Preven- 
tion and  Cure  of  Despondency"  and  "How  to 
Remove  Fear." 

Get  rid  of  nervousness.  You  can.  Learn  to 
sleep  well,  and  thus  double  your  capacity  for 
work.  Build  up  a  strong,  clear,  vigorous  mind. 
Remove  all  depressing  mental  states.  And  get 
rid  of  fear,  the  greatest  enemy  of  man. 
This  book  should  be  in  every  household. 


How    to    Stay    Young 


CONTENTS. — Conclusive  Reasons  Why  Man  Should 
Learn  to  Stay  Young.  According  to  Exact  Science 
Man  Can  Do  Whatever  He  Learns  to  Do, 
and  He  Can  Learn  Anything.  When  Man  Learns 
to  be  Himself  He  Will  Stay  Young  Without  Try- 
ing. Why  Man  Looks  Old  Though  Nature  Gives 
Him  a  New  Body  Every  Year.  Growing  Old  is  a 
Race  Habit  That  Can  Be  Removed.  Eliminate  the 
Consciousness  of  Age  by  Living  in  the  Great  Eternal 
Now.  Training  the  Subconscious  to  Produce  Per- 
petually the  Elements  of  Youth.  Conscious  Har- 
mony with  the  Law  of  Perpetual  Renewal.  Why 
Experience  Produces  Age  When  Its  Real  Purpose 
is  to  Perpetuate  Youth.  All  Thinking  Should  Ani- 
mate the  Mind  and  Invigorate  the  Body.  Mental 
States  That  Produce  Conditions  of  Age,  and  How 
to  Remove  Them.  Mental  States  That  Perpetuate 
Youth.  Live  for  the  Purpose  of  Advancement, 
Attainment,  and  Achievement.  Love  Your  Work, 
and  Know  That  You  Can  Work  as  Long  as  You 
Can  Love.  Perpetual  Enjoyment  Goes  Hand  in 
Hand  with  Perpetual  Youth.  Live  in  the  Upper 
Story,  and  On  the  Sunny  Side.  The  Ideal,  the 
Beautiful,  the  Worthy,  and  the  Great  Should  Be  the 
Constant  Companions  of  the  Soul.  To  Love  Always 
Is  to  Be  Young  Always.  How  to  Live  a  Life  That 
Will  Perpetuate  Youth.  Regularity  in  All  Things, 
Moderation  in  All  Things.  The  Rejuvenating  Power 
of  Sleep  When  Properly  Slept.  The  Necessity  of 
Perfect  Health,  and  How  to  Secure  It.  Live  in  the 
Absolute  Conviction  That  It  Is  Natural  to  Stay 
Young.  What  to  Do  with  Birthdays.  How  Long 
May  We  Live  Upon  Earth.  A  New  Picture  of  the 
Coming  Years. 


A  book  that  has  had  an  immense  sale.    Over  200 
Pages,  bound  in  cloth. 


Just      Be      Glad 

A  BOOK  with  a  great  message.  A  song 
of  victory  and  triumph — the  song  of  a 
soul  that  has  resolved  to  be  greater  than  fate, 
stronger  than  adversity,  and  superior  to  every 
circumstance  or  condition  in  life. 

A  book  of  sunshine  and  gladness,  of  free- 
dom and  power.  A  book  that  will  lift  you 
out  completely  from  darkness,  failure  or  de- 
spair, and  place  you  on  the  mountain  top  of 
victory  and  joy. 

Read  this  book  and  you  will  ever  remain 
undaunted  and  undismayed,  regardless  of  what 
may  come  or  go  in  the  world. 

'Beaotifvtty  bound  in  cloth,  75  cents  net.    Postage  extra. 

On     the     Heights 

THIS  is  one  of  those  rare  spiritual  gems 
that  you  will  appreciate  and  enjoy  with- 
out measure.  It  not  only  reveals  the  sublime 
beauty  of  that  life  that  is  found  on  the  lu- 
minous spiritual  heights,  but  also  opens  the 
way  to  the  sweetness  and  glory  of  those  lofty 
realms.  "There  is  another  and  a  better 
world,"  and  this  is  found  on  the  heights. 

At  the  close  is  added  "The  Soul's  Prayer," 
a  spiritual  prose  poem  filled  with  strong  and 
emancipating  statements  of  divine  truth. 
Read  this  prayer  every  day  and  you  will  realize 
a  freedom  and  a  spiritual  power  such  as  you 
never  knew  before. 


Business    Psychology 


ANEW  book  for  the  business  man — the 
business  woman — for  all  who  take  part 
in  the  world's  work — and  for  all  who  wish  to 
apply  the  principles  of  the  new  psychology  to 
the  industrial  and  commercial  worlds.  And  all 
who  wish  to  succeed  must  apply  those  prin- 
ciples to  their  work  in  this  age. 


CONTENTS 

Laws  and  Methods  That  Insure  Success.  The 
Four  Great  Essentials  to  Business  Success.  General 
Rules  in  Attainment  and  Achievement.  The  Need 
of  a  Powerful  Individuality.  The  Science  of  Busi- 
ness Success.  The  Three-fold  Basis  of  Business 
Success.  The  Seven  Factors  in  Business  Success. 
The  Use  of  the  Mind  in  Practical  Achievement. 
Practical  Rules  in  Business  Psychology.  The  New 
Way  of  Doing  Things.  How  Great  Gains  Are 
Realized.  The  Psychological  Moment.  The  Power 
of  Personal  Appearance.  The  Use  and  Cultivation 
of  Personal  Magnetism.  How  to  Use  the  Power 
of  Desire.  How  to  Use  the  Power  of  Will.  The 
New  Meaning  of  Good  Business. 


Mastery     of     Fate 

Do  not  drift  with  the  stream.  Refuse  to  be 
controlled  by  circumstances  any  longer.  Get 
this  book  and  begin  to  work  out  for  yourself 
a  richer  life,  a  better  future,  a  greater  destiny. 

PARTIAL   CONTENTS 

There  Is  No  Chance.  The  Cause  of  Good  Luck 
and  How  Every  Person  May  Use  That  Cause.  The 
Cause  of  Adversity  and  Misfortune,  and  How  to 
Remove  It.  Why  Environment  Controls  the  Neg- 
ative Man  But  Not  the  Positive  Man.  How  Any 
Person  May  Become  a  Positive  Force.  How  Man 
May  Build  His  Own  Future.  The  Inside  Secret  of 
Success.  The  Cause  of  Present  Personal  Conditions. 
How  Conditions  Can  Be  Changed  and  Things  Made 
as  We  Wish  Them  to  Be. 


Thinking   for  Results 

A  Book  That  Every  Ambitious  Man  and 
Woman  Will  Want— A  Book  That  All  Will 
Want  Who  Want  Results. 

THIS  IS  THE  PRINCIPLE.— You  are 
constantly  thinking.  To  think  is  to  place 
energy  in  action.  All  active  energy  tends  to 
produce  certain  results.  Then  the  question 
is  what  those  results  are  to  be.  Are  they  to 
be  favorable  or  detrimental,  superior  or  in- 
ferior, for  you  or  against  you  ?  This  you  can 
determine  by  thinking  according  to  design — 
by  thinking  for  a  definite  purpose — by  plac- 
ing in  action  energies  that  will  act  for  your 
advantage — by  training  all  the  powers  of  your 
mind  to  work  for  your  purpose. 


The*Hidden     Secret 


A  BOOK  that  every  aspiring  soul  will  want ; 
first,  because  it  deals  with  that  remarka- 
ble something  in  man  that  transcends  every 
limitation,  that  opens  the  mind  to  the  inex- 
haustible power  of  the  soul,  and  reveals  the 
nature  of  that  force  in  the  divine  nature  of 
man  that  makes  all  things  possible.  And  sec- 
ond, because  it  clearly  explains  how  this  re- 
markable power  may  be  applied  in  every  part 
or  problem  in  human  life. 

We  all  know  that  there  is  a  hidden  secret 
in  man — something  that  unlocks  every  door 
existing  in  the  universe — something  that  re- 
moves the  veil  of  mystery,  and  reveals  to 
the  mind  that  wonderful  world. 


Mastery     of     Self 

THERE  can  be  no  greater  achievement  than 
the  complete  control  of  self.  It  is  self- 
control  that  makes  man  noble,  strong,  masterful 
and  superior.  And  it  is  self-control  that  gives 
man  the  ability  to  use  the  greater  powers  and 
talents  in  his  possession.  Before  man  can  con- 
trol his  faculties,  his  forces,  his  circumstances, 
and  his  destiny,  he  must  control  himself.  And 
he  who  can  control  himself  has  it  in  his  power 
to  gain  every  victory  that  his  future  advance- 
ment may  work  for  or  desire. 


What     Is     Truth? 


TPHE  greatest  question  before  the  mind  of 
man  always  has  been,  and  always  will  be, 
WHAT  IS  TRUTH?  It  is  a  theme,  there- 
fore, that  is  always  new — a  theme  that  ever 
holds  the  deepest  of  interest  for  all  who  de- 
sire to  know.  And  every  book  that  deals  with 
this  theme  in  a  broad,  comprehensive,  orig- 
inal manner  will  be  more  than  welcome  every- 
where. And  we  claim  that  this  is  such  a 
book.  We  also  claim  that  all  who  read  this 
book  will  not  only  gain  a  larger,  a  higher  and 
a  more  interior  conception  of  truth,  but  will, 
in  addition,  secure  that  finer  vision  of  real 
truth  that  mankind  in  general  has  never  been 
able  to  discern. 


Nothing  Succeeds  Like  Success 


""^"OTHING  succeeds  like  success"  because 
~  of  the  fact  that  the  real  power  to  suc- 
ceed is  a  psychological  process  based  upon 
former  success.  From  this  truth  the  author 
draws  others  no  less  interesting.  For  example, 
"All  great  things  must  be  developed  first  in 
the  within;  so,  therefore,  we  must  not  judge 
according  to  appearances."  And  again,  in 
seeking  for  the  secret  of  success,  we  should 
direct  "the  whole  of  the  mind  to  work  with 
full  force  for  the  object  we  have  in  view." 


The  Pathway   of  Roses 


THIS  book  has  been  written  especially  for 
those  awakened  souls,  so  numerous  in 
this  rare  century,  who  would  open  their  minds 
to  all  that  is  rich,  all  that  is  lofty,  all  that  is 
beautiful,  and  all  that  is  inspiring  in  life;  who 
would  know  and  understand  the  finer  things 
in  human  existence — those  things  which,  to  be 
in  touch  with,  make  all  other  things  worth 
while ;  who  would  ofttimes  arise  to  those 
greater  heights  of  thought  and  vision  from 
whence  the  eye  may  behold  the  vastness,  the 
glory  and  the  splendor  of  it  all,  and  the  mind 
understand  that  life  in  reality  is  a  beautiful 
thing;  who  would  touch  the  spirit  of  loftier 
realms  and  array  themselves  with  that  greater 
strength,  that  more  wonderful  power  that 
makes  woman  noble,  man  great,  and  the  soul 
of  humanity  divine. 

CONTENTS 

Paths  to  the  Life  Beautiful.  The  Way  of  Free- 
dom. The  Supreme  Point  of  View.  The  True 
Order  of  Things.  The  Good  That  Is  In  You.  Giv- 
ing Your  Best  to  the  World.  Giving  Much  and 
Receiving  Much.  And  All  Things  Shall  Be  Added. 
When  Life  Is  Worth  Living.  The  Way,  the  Truth, 
and  the  Life.  To  Know  and  Think  the  Truth. 
Finding  the  Lost  Word.  The  Royal  Path  to  Wis- 
dom. The  Golden  Path  to  Increase.  The  Life  More 
Abundant.  Human  Nature  Becoming  Divine 
Nature.  A  Sublime  State  of  Existence.  A  Fore- 
taste of  Heaven.  The  Vision  of  the  Soul.  The 
Infinite  Revealed.  Return  Ye  Unto  God.  Prayers 
That  Are  Answered.  The  Faith  That  Moves  Moun- 
tains. The  Winds  and  the  Waves  Shall  Obey  My 
Will.  For  I  Have  Overcome  the  World.  The 
Supreme  Purpose  of  Life.  The  Psalm  of  Rejoicing. 
God's  Beautiful  Gift  to  Me. 


Perfect      Health 

or,  The  Highest  Curative  Power  in  Man 

THIS  book  is  based  upon  three  widely  rec- 
ognized principles;  first,  that  there  is  a 
higher  something  in  man  that  is  always  well ; 
second,  that  the  more  closely  we  live  to  the 
conscious  touch  of  this  higher  something,  the 
more  life  and  health  we  shall  feel  and  realize 
in  mind ;  and  third,  that  whatever  we  actually 
realize  in  mind  we  invariably  express  in  every 
atom  of  the  body. 

CONTENTS 

Perfect  Health  Is  Naturally  Inherent  in  Man. 
No  Sickness  in  the  World  of  Truth.  The  Perfect 
Way  to  Health.  Entering  the  Wholeness  of  Truth. 
Consciousness  of  True  Being.  The  Real  Man  Is 
Well.  Cause  of  111  Health.  Removing  the  Cause. 
Thinking  the  Whole  Truth.  Mastery  of  the  Physical 
Life. 


The  Scientific  Training 
of  Children 

A  book  that  every  parent  and  teacher  in  the 
world  should  possess. 

GIVE  your  children  a  fair  chance.     This 
book  will  tell  you  how.    It  will  tell  you 
how  your  child  may  bring  out  the  best  that  is 
in  him. 

If  you  are  a  teacher  you  will  want  your 
pupils  to  become  as  brilliant  as  exact  scientific 
training  can  make  them. 


How    to     Stay    Well 


WE  NO  longer  believe  it  is  necessary  for 
any  one  to  have  poor  health;  we  now 
know  that  everybody  can  get  well,  and  stay 
well  all  through  life.  The  secret  is  to  know 
how  to  use  the  greater  powers  of  our  own 
mind  and  soul — those  powers  which,  when 
awakened  and  applied,  can  positively  remove 
any  ailment  that  may  exist  in  the  human  sys- 
tem. This  new  book,  HOW  TO  STAY 
WELL,  explains  exactly  what  those  powers 
are,  and  gives  practical  methods  on  how  to  use 
them — methods  that  any  one  can  understand. 

CONTENTS 

The  New  Way  to  Perfect  Health.  The  Meta- 
physical Process  of  Cure.  The  Curative  Power  of 
Thought.  The  Inner  Force  of  Thought.  Renew 
Your  Mind  and  Be  Well.  How  the  Mind  Can  Pro- 
duce Health.  How  to  Maintain  Perfect  Health. 
The  Real  Man  Is  Always  Well.  Realizing  the  Per- 
fect Health  Within.  Purity  of  Mind  and  Body.  The 
Happiness  Cure.  How  to  Rest  and  Recuperate. 
Letting  Go  of  Your  Ailments.  How  the  Subcon- 
scious Creates  Health.  The  Power  of  Mind  Over 
Body.  The  Relation  of  Mind  and  Matter.  The 
Greater  Powers  in  Man.  The  Higher  Curative 
Forces.  The  Use  of  Spiritual  Power.  How  to 
Enter  the  Silence.  The  Use  of  Positive  Affirma- 
tions. Statements  of  Truth  and  Selected  Affirma- 
tions. Chief  Essentials  in  Prevention  and  Cure. 
Practical  Helps  to  Good  Health. 

Remember,  there  is  nothing  mysterious  in 
this  book.  It  deals  with  the  greatest  power  in 
man,  but  makes  everything  perfectly  plain,  and 
contains  a  mine  of  most  important  informa- 
tion. 


Brains    and    How    to 
Get     Them 

Clear — Powerful — Practical — Scientific 

CONTENTS 

Function  of  the  Brain.  Modern  Methods.  Active 
Brain  Cells.  The  Three  Essentials.  Necessary  Ele- 
ments. Increased  Capacity.  How  to  Proceed.  Full 
Development.  Real  Genius.  Building  Brain  Cells. 
Special  Methods.  Making  Every  Brain  Cell  Alive. 
Principles  in  Brain  Building.  Essentials  Required. 
Essentials  Explained.  Increase  of  Size.  Interesting 
Experiments.  The  Power  of  Concentration.  Deep 
Feeling  Necessary.  Unconscious  Development.  The 
Power  of  Ambition.  Practical  Methods  in  Brain 
Building.  The  Highly  Organized  Brain.  Ability 
Trebled.  The  Vital  Secret.  Subjective  Concentra- 
tion. Where  to  Concentrate.  Where  to  Begin.  Dis- 
cerning the  Within.  Feeling  the  Real.  Functions 
of  Intuition.  Building  Intellect.  Producing  Results. 
The  Real  Purpose.  When  to  Exercise.  Facts  to 
Remember.  Two  Distinct  Processes.  Living  Brain 
Cells.  Finer  States  of  Action.  Focalizing  Faculty. 
To  Develop  Individuality.  Insight  and  Judgment. 
Increase  of  Power.  Transmutation  of  Energy. 
Multiplication  of  Ideas.  The  Brain  Center.  The 
Metaphysical  Side.  The  Most  Important  Faculty. 

A  book  that  will  positively  double  or  treble 
the  mental  capacity  and  ability  of  any  man 
who  will  apply  its  principles  with  faith  and 
enthusiasm. 


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THOMA5  Y.  CROWELL  CO. 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


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